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 is genetically related to watercress and Mustard plant, 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.[Cassidy, Frederic Gomes and Hall, Joan Houston. Dictionary of American regional English, Harvard University Press, 2002. Page 97. , ][Staub, Jack E, Buchert, Ellen. 75 Exceptional Herbs for Your Garden Published by Gibbs Smith, 2008. , 9781423602514]
This annual plant can reach a height of , with many branches on the upper part. The white to pinkish flowers are only across, clustered in small branched .[ Vegetables of Canada. Published by NRC Research Press. , ][Boswell, John T. and Sowerby, James. English Botany: Or, Coloured Figures of British Plants. Robert Hardwicke, 1863. Page 215.]
When consumed raw, cress is a high-nutrient food containing substantial content of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin K and several dietary minerals.
In agriculture
Cultivation of cress is practical both on mass scales and on the individual scale. Garden cress is suitable for
hydroponics cultivation and thrives in slightly
alkaline water. In many local markets, the demand for hydroponically grown cress can exceed available supply, partially because cress leaves are not suitable for distribution in dried form, so they can only be partially preserved. Consumers commonly acquire cress as
or (in Europe) from markets as boxes of young live shoots.
[ Vegetables of Canada. NRC Research Press. , ]
Edible shoots are typically harvested in one to two weeks after planting, when they are tall.[Hirsch, David P.. The Moosewood Restaurant kitchen garden: creative gardening for the adventurous cook. Ten Speed Press, 2020. , ]
Culinary uses
Garden cress is added to soups, sandwiches and salads for its tangy flavour.
It is also eaten as
sprouting, and the fresh or dried seed pods can be used as a peppery seasoning (
haloon).
[ In the United Kingdom, cut cress shoots are commonly used in sandwiches with boiled eggs and mayonnaise.]
Nutrition
Raw cress is 89% water, 6% carbohydrates (including 1% dietary fiber), 3% protein and less than 1% fat (table). In a reference quantity, raw cress supplies of food energy and numerous nutrients in significant content, including vitamin K (516% of the Daily Value, DV), vitamin C (83% DV) and vitamin A (43% DV). Among dietary minerals, manganese levels are high (26% DV) while several others, including potassium and magnesium, are in moderate content (table).
Other uses
Garden cress, known as chandrashoor, and the seeds, known as aaliv or aleev in Marathi, or halloon
L. sativum is often used in experiments to teach biology to students in schools. The plant grows readily on damp paper or cotton, and its fast germination and development time makes it useful in demonstrating plant growth.
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(known as chamsur in Nepali) is a popular dish in Nepalese cuisine.]]
See also
