Empress of India Nasturtium

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Empress of India Nasturtium

Tropaeolum majus
(60 days) Hailed as a “great novelty” when introduced in 1884, and still popular today. Dark purplish-green edible leaves and stems make a perfect background for the edible spicy-hot brilliant crimson-scarlet flowers that stand out in bold relief. A good contrast with other nasturtium varieties. Do not feed heavily. 16" plants. Annual.


5282 Empress of India
Item Discounted
Price
A: 3g for $2.75  
B: 9g for $4.25  
C: 27g for $5.75  
D: 432g for $45.00  

Additional Information

Nasturtium

~6 seeds/g.

Annual. The name literally means ‘twisted nose,’ from the Latin nasus for nose and tortus for twist. Edible flowers with a spicy sweet fragrance lend a peppery-sweet taste to salads, with each color adding contrast and subtle variations in flavor. Round leaves also edible, and seeds can be pickled to make “capers.” Formerly used as a remedy against scurvy.

Culture: Blooms keep coming if cut, needs moisture and cool temperatures for optimal blooming. Intolerant of frost. Germinates in 7–10 days at 65°. Cover the seed. Avoid excess nitrogen, but don’t relegate nasties to the worst soil. Likes full sun. Start indoors or direct seed after last frost.

Flowers

All flowers are open-pollinated except where noted.

Days in parentheses after a variety indicate days to first bloom.

Germination Testing

For the latest results of our germination tests, please see the germination page.