nasturtium

/na sterr"sheuhm, neuh-/, n.

any plant of the genus Tropaeolum, cultivated for its showy, usually orange, red, or yellow flowers or for its fruit, which is pickled and used like capers.

[1560-70; < L nasturtium, nasturcium a kind of cress, taken to mean, perh. by folk etym., something that wrings the nose (referring to its acrid smell). See NOSE, TORT, -IUM]

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Any of various annual plants of the genus Tropaeolum (family Tropaeolaceae), native to Mexico, Central America, and northern South America, and cultivated elsewhere as garden plants.

Brilliant yellow, orange, or red flowers are funnel-shaped and have a long spur that contains sweet nectar. The peppery-tasting leaves and flowers are sometimes used in salads, and the young flower buds and fruit are sometimes used as seasoning. Nasturtium also is a genus of aquatic herbs in the mustard family (see watercress).

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▪ Tropaeolum genus

 any of various annual plants of the genus Tropaeolum, in the family Tropaeolaceae, native to Mexico, Central America, and northern South America and introduced into other regions as cultivated garden plants. Nasturtium is also a genus of aquatic herbs of the family Cruciferae (see watercress).

      The peppery-tasting leaves are sometimes used in salads. The brilliant yellow, orange, or red flowers are funnel-shaped and have a long spur that contains sweet nectar.

      Tropaeolum majus, the common nasturtium, is also known as Indian cress. The young flower buds and fruit are sometimes used as seasoning. The plant grows 2.4–3.6 m (8–12 feet) tall, and the flowers are commonly yellow-orange with red spots or stripes. T. minus, the dwarf nasturtium, has flowers 3 cm (1.2 inches) across or less. T. peltophorum, the shield nasturtium, is a climbing plant with orange-red flowers about 2.5 cm (1 inch) long. T. peregrinum is commonly known as the canary creeper.

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