Garden cress
Species of edible herb / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Cress (Lepidium sativum), sometimes referred to as garden cress (or curly cress) to distinguish it from similar plants also referred to as cress (from Old English cresse), is a rather fast-growing, edible herb.
Garden cress | |
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One mature Lepidium sativum rosette | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Brassicales |
Family: | Brassicaceae |
Genus: | Lepidium |
Species: | L. sativum |
Binomial name | |
Lepidium sativum L. | |
Synonyms[1] | |
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Garden cress is genetically related to watercress and mustard, sharing their peppery, tangy flavour and aroma. In some regions, garden cress is known as mustard and cress, garden pepper cress, pepperwort, pepper grass, or poor man's pepper.[2][3]
This annual plant can reach a height of 60 cm (24 in), with many branches on the upper part. The white to pinkish flowers are only 2 mm (1ā16 in) across, clustered in small branched racemes.[4][5]
When consumed raw, cress is a high-nutrient food containing substantial content of vitamins A, C and K and several dietary minerals.