Tropaeolum Majus - Nasturtium
Tropaeolum Majus - Nasturtium or Indian Cress, Easy to grow annual. Blooms all summer until first frost. Thrives in poor soil. Single and double bloom varsities.
| Tropaeolum Majus | Annual |
|---|---|
| Bloom Time | Early Summer to Early Fall |
| Light | Full Sun |
| Water | Drought Tolerant |
| Diseases | Viruses |
| Pests | Black Aphids, Serpentine Leaf Miners |
| Propagation | Seed |
| Color | Red, Yellow, Orange |
| Zones | 9 - 10 |
| Features | Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant |
Tropaeolum Majus - Peach Melba
Nasturtiums are a wonderful, versatile annual plant to have in your garden. They grow very easily from seed and flower very quickly.
Plant them in the poorest soils and they will still provide a bountiful bloom for you until the first frost.
Fertilizer is not a priority for these plants, as with many other annuals that are heavy feeders.
Plant the spreading variety in containers and let them spill of the edge of the container. Also plant these spreading variety along your garden pathways to give the walk edge a very soft and natural look.
The other variety of Nasturtium is the climbing vine type. You can train these climbers to climb trellises or fences.
The leaves of the Nasturtium are eatable and are often included as garnish to spruce up salads.
Note that the National Fish and Wildlife Service has classified this plant as an invasive species in California: Nasturtium occurs in wetlands in another regions, but occurs almost always under natural conditions in non wetlands in California . Taxon Report.
Best if sown in early Spring. Nasturtiums can reseed themselves once established, but be careful where you plant it as they are classified as an invasive species in certain areas - see above. See the Taxon Report
In areas that have mild Winters and hot Summers, seeds can be sown in Fall for Winter and Spring bloom.
Tropaeolum Majus - Jewel of Africa
Petunia:
Any color petunia can accompany the neutral creamy-colored nasturtiums, and many of the pink petunias combine well with dark burgundy nasturtiums.
Cosmos:
Cherry-red nasturtiums glow warm in the garden when planted with pure white cosmos.
French Marigold:
Pure orange or yellow marigolds make a tidy edging plant where nasturtiums fill the bed..
Geranium:
Pair signet marigold with geraniums for bold colors and a terrific contrast in textures.
Tropaeolum Majus - Empress of India
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Alaska nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus 'Alaska') is a trailing variety to 12 to 15 inches. It offers exciting, white-splashed foliage and striking red, orange, gold, yellow, and salmon flowers.
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Canary creeper (Tropaeolum peregrinum) offers lots of fringed canary-yellow blooms appear that look almost like butterflies in late spring. It climbs to 15 feet and is perennial in Zones 9-10.
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Empress of India nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus 'Empress of India') bears velvety, crimson-red flowers on a compact, 14-inch-tall plant.
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Jewel of Africa nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus 'Jewel of Africa') is a climbing annual to 5 feet tall that has variegated foliage and blooms in red, gold, yellow, cream, or peach.
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Peach Melba nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus 'Peach Melba') offers salmon-peach flowers all summer long on compact, 1-foot-tall plants.
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Strawberry Ice nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus 'Strawberry Ice') bears deep yellow flowers with a strawberry-red blotch at the base of each petal. It trails or climbs to 16 inches.
Tropaeolum Majus - Canary Creeper
Spacing: Space 10 - 12" apart when planting
Fertilizer: Water Soluble Plant Food, Composted Yard Trimmings
Water Requirements: Water 2 - 3 times per week.
Sun: Give 6 or more hours of direct sun per day.
Soil Conditions: Grows very well in well-drained soils, especially very sandy soil. The plant is somewhat drought tolerant once established.
Water liberally during drought.
Tropaeolum Majus are great annuals to plant in containers, especially the vine type, which can reach heights of 15 to 20'.
Also plant Nasturtiums in the border and in beds. Plant them near your garden walkways and bench areas as they attract butterflies
Nasturtiums are easy to grow. They can grow as climbers or as a dwarf plant, but both types grow quickly.
The climbers generally sprawl prostrate across the ground but can be trained up with their intertwined leafstalks.
