Plant Details

Lepidium sativum

Cress

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Common names

30 names · 23 languages
EnglishYour language
Other languages (22)
Dutch
French
  • Cresson alénois[1]
  • Passerage cressonnette[1]
  • Passerage cultivée[1]
Arabic
  • رشاد مزروع[1]
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 家独行菜[1]
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 家獨行菜[1]
Czech
  • řeřicha setá[1]
Finnish
  • vihanneskrassi[1]
German
  • Gartenkresse[1]
Hebrew
  • שחליים תרבותיים[1]
Hungarian
  • Kerti zsázsa[1]
Italian
  • crescione inglese[1]
Japanese
  • コショウソウ[1]
Kannada
Norwegian
Polish
  • pieprzyca siewna[1]
Portuguese
  • Mastruço-ordinário[1]
Russian
  • Клоповник посевной[1]
  • кресс-салат[1]
Slovak
  • žerucha siata[1]
Slovenian
  • vrtna kreša[1]
Swedish
  • kryddkrasse[1]
  • kryddkrassing[1]
  • smörgåskrasse[1]
+1 more nameShow fewer names
  • trädgårdskrasse[1]
Turkish
Ukrainian
  • Хрінниця сійна, крес-салат[1]
Sources & name notes (1)

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] Lepidium sativum — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

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

Source records
  • Garden Cress — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 164527; Lepidium sativum.
  • Mastruço-ordinário — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 164527; Lepidium sativum.
  • Cress — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 164527; Lepidium sativum.
  • Passerage cultivée — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 164527; Lepidium sativum.
  • alavibija — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 164527; Lepidium sativum.
  • שחליים תרבותיים — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 164527; Lepidium sativum.
  • řeřicha setá — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 164527; Lepidium sativum.
  • Gartenkresse — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 164527; Lepidium sativum.
  • matkarse — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 164527; Lepidium sativum.
  • vihanneskrassi — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 164527; Lepidium sativum.
  • رشاد مزروع — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 164527; Lepidium sativum.
  • コショウソウ — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 164527; Lepidium sativum.
  • smörgåskrasse — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 164527; Lepidium sativum.
  • kryddkrassing — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 164527; Lepidium sativum.
  • kryddkrasse — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 164527; Lepidium sativum.
  • trädgårdskrasse — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 164527; Lepidium sativum.
  • Клоповник посевной — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 164527; Lepidium sativum.
  • Tuinkers — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 164527; Lepidium sativum.
  • tere — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 164527; Lepidium sativum.
  • crescione inglese — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 164527; Lepidium sativum.
  • 家独行菜 — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 164527; Lepidium sativum.
  • Хрінниця сійна, крес-салат — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 164527; Lepidium sativum.
  • pieprzyca siewna — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 164527; Lepidium sativum.
  • кресс-салат — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 164527; Lepidium sativum.
  • 家獨行菜 — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 164527; Lepidium sativum.
  • Kerti zsázsa — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 164527; Lepidium sativum.
  • Passerage cressonnette — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 164527; Lepidium sativum.
  • Cresson alénois — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 164527; Lepidium sativum.
  • vrtna kreša — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 164527; Lepidium sativum.
  • žerucha siata — results[0].names[31]; taxon id 164527; Lepidium sativum.

General information

Scientific name: Lepidium sativum
Accepted name (Kew): Lepidium sativum L. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1] [2]
Botanical family: Brassicaceae

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

Sources [1]
Also known as: Cress
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Herbaceous
Catalogue size class: Small
Height: 0.50 m
Spread: - m
Growth rate: None
Foliage: None

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 6-9
Soil moisture:
Moist
Soil:
Sand (light) Loam (medium) Clay (heavy)
pH:
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
Light:
Full sun, Partial shade

Uses

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

Description

Young leaves can be eaten raw or cooked. They have a spicy flavor, similar to watercress, and are a great addition to salads in small quantities. The roots of this plant are used as a spice and have a sharp taste, but they are quite small and have a woody texture. Fresh or dried seed pods can serve as a sharp flavoring. The seeds can be sprouted by giving them little light until the shoots are a few centimeters long, after which they can be added to salads. The sprouting process takes about 7 days, and the shoots have a pleasantly spicy flavor. Edible oil can be obtained from the seeds.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 15/04
Harvest ends: 30/09

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 46896; name ID 2338293; Lepidium L.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 494322; name ID 2338547; Lepidium sativum L..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Lepidium sativum

    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 2280051, ID 6PBBR: Lepidium sativum L. (accepted).

    Source checked on .