Nasturtium
Tropaeolum majus
Climbing Plants Difficulty: Very Easy
📖 About this plant
A cheerful, versatile vine with round, lily-pad-like leaves and vivid trumpet-shaped flowers in warm shades of orange, red, and yellow. Both flowers and leaves are edible with a delightful peppery, watercress-like flavor, making them popular in salads and garnishes. Easy to grow from seed, it thrives in poor soil where other plants struggle, making it perfect for beginner gardeners.
🧑🌾 Care requirements
☀️
Light
Full sun (6+ hrs)
💧
Water
Every 2-3 days
💨
Humidity
Moderate (40-60%)
🌡️
Temperature
15-28°C
🪴
Soil
Poor to moderately fertile, well-draining soil; too-rich soil produces leaves instead of flowers; pH 6.0-7.5
🧪
Fertilizer
Generally does not need fertilizer; excess nitrogen reduces flowering
🌐 Common Names
HI
Hindi
नास्टर्शियम
BN
Bengali
নাস্টার্শিয়াম
MR
Marathi
नास्टर्शियम
TE
Telugu
నాస్టర్షియం
TA
Tamil
நாஸ்டர்சியம்
GU
Gujarati
નાસ્ટર્શિયમ
UR
Urdu
ناسٹرشیئم
KN
Kannada
ನಾಸ್ಟರ್ಶಿಯಂ
OR
Odia
ନାସ୍ଟର୍ଶିଅମ
ML
Malayalam
നാസ്റ്റർഷ്യം
PA
Punjabi
ਨਾਸਟਰਸ਼ੀਅਮ
AS
Assamese
নাস্টার্শিয়াম
📋 Plant facts
- 🌍 Origin
- South America — Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador
- 📏 Max height
- 100-300 cm
- 📐 Spread
- 100-200 cm
- 🕰️ Bloom time
- Summer - Fall
- 🎨 Bloom color
- Orange, Red, Yellow
- 🍃 Foliage color
- Green
- ⏳ Lifespan
- Annual
- 📈 Growth rate
- Fast
- ☠️ Toxicity
- Non-toxic — all parts are edible (flowers, leaves, and seeds have a peppery flavor)
- 🌱 Propagation
- Direct seed sowing after last frost; seeds are large and easy to handle; soak seeds overnight for faster germination
🛡️ Health & Safety
🐾 Pet safe
✅ Non-toxic
Non-toxic — all parts are edible (flowers, leaves, and seeds have a peppery flavor)
Common issues
- Aphids are attracted to nasturtiums (can be used as a trap crop)
- Powdery mildew in humid conditions
- Fewer flowers in overly rich soil
💡 Care tips
- Edible flowers and leaves with a peppery flavor
- Climbing varieties quickly cover trellises and fences
- Poor soil actually produces more flowers than rich soil
- Deters aphids and whiteflies when planted near vegetables
🪴 Add to My Plants
One click — added instantly. Watering every 3 days, fertilizing every 30 days.
