Cress

Cress known as Garden Cress comes from the Brassicaceae family and is indigenous to Asia and Europe. It is an annual herb which is also considered as a salad plant and can grow up to 2 feet tall. It bears refreshing, pungent frilled leaves with a peppery flavor. Fruits of the plant are similar to caper berries.
The beautiful orange flowers are often used for creative decorative purpose.


Cress is an easy herb to grow indoors as well as outdoors. It is not fussy about the soil, weather and maintenance; however, it grows best in damp soil and partial shade. It is also suitable for aquiculture cultivation. Early spring or early autumn are the ideal time to plant the seeds. Considered to be a quick crop, it takes about 7-12 days to mature and harvesting can be carried out then. To obtain regular continual supply of the leaves ensure that you sow seeds successively.


Cress has numerous healing properties. Nutritional elements like Vitamin A and C, calcium, iron, and folic acid present in its leaves impart significant medicinal value to the herb. It is believed that they serve as an effective treatment for healthy skin and hair as well as other health benefits. Leaves are also known to help as detoxification agents.
Garden Cress is extensively used in green salads to add zing to its taste and appearance. Its culinary use includes garnishing as well as cooking as a green leafy vegetable. They are also used in sandwiches instead of lettuce to add a peppery zing to boring sandwiches. Young and fresh Cress leaves can also add taste to various soups.