Plant Details

Tropaeolum majus

Nasturtium

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Common names

54 names · 34 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Dragoljub[2]
  • garden nasturtium[2]
  • Indian Cress[2]
+5 more namesShow fewer names
Other languages (33)
Dutch
  • Oost-Indische kers[2]
French
  • Capucine
  • Grande Capucine[2]
Afrikaans
  • Kappertjie[2]
  • kappertjies[2]
Catalan
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Croatian
Czech
  • lichořeřišnice větší[2]
Danish
  • Tallerkensmækker[2]
Estonian
  • suur mungalill[2]
Finnish
  • isoköynnöskrassi[2]
Galician
German
  • Große Kapuzinerkresse[1][2]
  • Kapuzinerkresse[2]
Hawaiian
  • pohe haole[2]
Hebrew
  • כובע הנזיר[2]
Hungarian
  • Sarkantyúka[2]
Italian
Japanese
  • キンレンカ[2]
  • ノウゼンハレン[2]
Korean
Lithuanian
  • Didžioji nasturtė[2]
Nahuatl
  • pelonchili[2]
Norwegian
Otomi
  • doni nzinzu[2]
Polish
  • Nasturcja większa[2]
Portuguese
Purepecha
  • cuitziquiendas[2]
Russian
  • Настурция[2]
Slovak
  • kapucínka väčšia[2]
Spanish
  • Capuchina[2]
  • Capuchina sudamericana[2]
  • Espuela de galán[2]
+4 more namesShow fewer names
  • Jacinto[2]
  • Maranuela[1]
  • Mastuerzo sudamericano[2]
  • Taco de reina[2]
Swedish
  • indiankrasse[2]
Turkish
Ukrainian
  • Красоля велика[2]
Venda
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 — Tropaeolum majus L. ↗

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

Source records
  • Große Kapuzinerkresse (DE); Nasturtium (EN); Maranuela (ES) — VernacularName.tsv, line 145957; taxon 7CVJH.
[2] Tropaeolum majus — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

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

Source records
  • garden nasturtium — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • Nasturtium — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • pohe haole — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • Nasturzio — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • Kapuzinerkresse — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • Mastuerzo sudamericano — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • Capuchina sudamericana — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • Chagas — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • cuitziquiendas — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • pelonchili — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • 旱金蓮 — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • Capuchinha — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • Grande Capucine — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • Sarkantyúka — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • Настурция — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • Dragoljub — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • Didžioji nasturtė — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • lichořeřišnice větší — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • Oost-Indische kers — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • 한련 — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • Nasties — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • blomkarse — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • キンレンカ — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • ノウゼンハレン — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • isoköynnöskrassi — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • Indian Cress — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • Monk Cress — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • Nasturcja większa — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • suur mungalill — results[0].names[31]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • indiankrasse — results[0].names[32]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • Taco de reina — results[0].names[33]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • Tallerkensmækker — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • Kappertjie — results[0].names[35]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • 旱金莲 — results[0].names[36]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • Große Kapuzinerkresse — results[0].names[37]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • tropealum — results[0].names[38]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • Espuela de galán — results[0].names[39]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • Lark's Heel — results[0].names[40]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • kappertjies — results[0].names[41]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • doni nzinzu — results[0].names[42]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • Tall Nasturtium — results[0].names[43]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • 金蓮花 — results[0].names[44]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • Capuchina — results[0].names[45]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • Красоля велика — results[0].names[46]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • כובע הנזיר — results[0].names[47]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • 金莲花 — results[0].names[48]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • Dragoljub — results[0].names[49]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • Capuchina — results[0].names[50]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • Caputxina — results[0].names[51]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • bopa — results[0].names[52]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • kapucínka väčšia — results[0].names[53]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.
  • Jacinto — results[0].names[54]; taxon id 54329; Tropaeolum majus.

General information

Scientific name: Tropaeolum majus
Accepted name (Kew): Tropaeolum majus L. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1] [2]
Botanical family: Tropaeolaceae

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

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

Plant characteristics

Layer: Climber, Ground cover
Catalogue size class: Medium
Height: 0.3–3.05 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [3]
Spread: 0.3–0.91 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [3]
Growth rate: Fast
Sources [3]
Foliage: None
Growth habit: Climbing, Clumping, Mounding

Whole-plant habit and form as described by NC State.

Sources [3]
Life cycle: Annual
Sources [3]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b

USDA zones listed by NC State; winter survival does not establish reliable cropping.

Sources [3]
Soil moisture:
Well-drained

Moisture and drainage conditions listed by NC State.

Sources [3]
Soil:
Loam (Silt), Sand
Sources [3]
pH:
Acid (<6.0), Alkaline (>8.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Sources [3]
Light:
Full sun, Partial Shade
Sources [3]

Uses

Edible parts:
Flowers, Leaves, Condiment, Oil, Seed, Seed pod
Edibility rating:
(4)
Medicinal rating:
(3)
Functions:
Insecticide, Oil, Repellent, Fragrant

Description

Leaves - Edible raw. They have a spicy watercress flavor and are delicious on their own or as an addition to mixed salads. They are rich in vitamin C and are available from early summer until the first frost of autumn. Flowers - Edible raw. These flowers are both decorative and tasty in salads. They have a subtle watercress flavor and are available throughout the summer. The flowers contain about 130 mg of vitamin C per 100 g. Young seed pods - Edible raw. These have an even more intense flavor than the flowers or leaves. They can also be harvested while immature and pickled for use as an alternative to capers. Seeds - Edible raw or cooked. Very spicy in flavor. The ripe seeds can be ground into powder and used as a substitute for pepper. The seeds contain 26% protein and 10% oil.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/06
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 170314; name ID 2442622; Tropaeolum L.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 262216; name ID 2522052; Tropaeolum majus L..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Tropaeolum majus

    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 2710206, ID 7CVJH: Tropaeolum majus L. (accepted).

    Source checked on .

  3. NC State Extension, North Carolina State University Tropaeolum majus — Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
    Supports: HeightSpreadGrowth rateGrowth habitLife cycleLightSoil moistureSoil textureSoil pHUSDA hardiness
    Relevant sections
    • Height: Dimensions > Height; Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
    • Spread: Dimensions > Width; Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Growth habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Light: Light
    • Soil moisture: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • USDA hardiness: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

    Source checked on .