Plant Details

Barbarea verna

Land Cress, Early yellowrocket

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Common names

27 names · 19 languages
EnglishYour language
  • American Cress[2]
  • American Winter-cress[1]
  • early winter cress[2]
+3 more namesShow fewer names
  • Early Yellow-Rocket[2]
  • Early yellowrocket[1]
  • Land Cress[2]
Other languages (18)
Dutch
  • Vroeg barbarakruid[2]
French
  • Barbarée printanière[2]
  • Cresson de jardin[2]
  • Cresson de terre[2]
Afrikaans
  • waterkerwel[2]
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 旱地冬芥[2]
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 旱地冬芥[2]
Danish
  • Langskulpet vinterkarse[2]
Finnish
  • krassikanankaali[2]
German
  • Frühes Barbarakraut[1]
  • Frühlings-Barbarakresse[2]
Hungarian
  • tavaszi borbálafű[2]
Italian
  • Erba di Santa Barbara primaverile[2]
Japanese
  • キバナクレス[2]
Polish
  • gorczycznik wiosenny[2]
Portuguese
  • Agrião-da-terra[2]
Russian
  • Сурепка весенняя[2]
Slovak
  • barborka jarná[2]
Swedish
  • vårgyllen[2]
Turkish
  • Er Nicarotu[2]
Ukrainian
  • Суріпиця весняна[2]
Sources & name notes (2)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Barbarea verna (Mill.) Asch. ↗

Common names from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. License: CC BY.

Source records
  • American Winter-cress (EN) — VernacularName.tsv, line 146455; taxon KM6R.
  • Early yellowrocket — VernacularName.tsv, line 146456; taxon KM6R.
  • Frühes Barbarakraut (DE) — VernacularName.tsv, line 146457; taxon KM6R.
[2] Barbarea verna — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • land cress — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 71136; Barbarea verna.
  • early winter cress — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 71136; Barbarea verna.
  • Cresson de terre — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 71136; Barbarea verna.
  • Cresson de jardin — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 71136; Barbarea verna.
  • Barbarée printanière — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 71136; Barbarea verna.
  • Agrião-da-terra — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 71136; Barbarea verna.
  • Early Yellow-Rocket — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 71136; Barbarea verna.
  • Langskulpet vinterkarse — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 71136; Barbarea verna.
  • krassikanankaali — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 71136; Barbarea verna.
  • Frühlings-Barbarakresse — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 71136; Barbarea verna.
  • キバナクレス — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 71136; Barbarea verna.
  • 旱地冬芥 — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 71136; Barbarea verna.
  • 旱地冬芥 — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 71136; Barbarea verna.
  • vårgyllen — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 71136; Barbarea verna.
  • Vroeg barbarakruid — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 71136; Barbarea verna.
  • waterkerwel — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 71136; Barbarea verna.
  • American Cress — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 71136; Barbarea verna.
  • gorczycznik wiosenny — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 71136; Barbarea verna.
  • Сурепка весенняя — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 71136; Barbarea verna.
  • tavaszi borbálafű — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 71136; Barbarea verna.
  • Erba di Santa Barbara primaverile — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 71136; Barbarea verna.
  • barborka jarná — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 71136; Barbarea verna.
  • Er Nicarotu — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 71136; Barbarea verna.
  • Суріпиця весняна — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 71136; Barbarea verna.

General information

Scientific name: Barbarea verna
Accepted name (Kew): Barbarea verna (Mill.) Asch. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1] [2]
Botanical family: Brassicaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Barbarea (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Land Cress, Early yellowrocket
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Herbaceous
Catalogue size class: Small
Height: 0.30 m
Spread: 0.30 m
Growth rate: None
Foliage: None

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 5-9
Soil moisture:
Moist
Soil:
Sand (light) Loam (medium) Clay (heavy)
pH:
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
Light:
Shade, Partial shade, Full sun

Uses

Edible parts:
Leaves, Oil, Seed
Edibility rating:
(3)
Medicinal rating:
(0)
Functions:
Oil

Description

Young leaves can be eaten both raw and cooked or used as a flavoring in dishes. With their hot and spicy watercress flavor, they are delightful in salads. The leaves can be harvested year-round, especially from plants that were sown in the autumn and received some protection during the winter. Edible oil can be extracted from the seeds, which can also be sprouted and added to salads.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/04
Harvest ends: 31/05

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 63891; name ID 2669601; Barbarea W.T.Aiton. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 1323127; name ID 2669710; Barbarea verna (Mill.) Asch..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Barbarea verna

    Taxonomic data from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: COL 2026-08-20, NameUsage.tsv line 4915472, ID KM6R: Barbarea verna (Mill.) Asch. (accepted).

    Source checked on .