Watercress
Nasturtium officinale
Also called Water cress
Garden plant · Herbs, veg & fruitNEVER PICK IT FROM A WILD STREAM. Liver fluke from grazing land upstream is the reason, and it is the one crop where growing your own in a tray of clean water is the safe option.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Medium
- Water
- Every dayWater the ground — water at the base, in the morning, not over the leaves.
- Light
- Partial shade, and cool
- Feed
- Every 21 days
- Humidity
- High
- Hardiness
- Hardy — a cold winter RHS H5, to -15°C
- Size
- 0.2 m tall · 0.4 m across
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Origin
- Europe and Asia
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsToxic to pets
Affects dogs, cats, horses.
PeopleNot checked yet
Nobody has checked this one against a source for us yet, so treat it as unknown rather than safe.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-08-04.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.