Nasturtium Empress of India

Bright and exotic, the Nasturtium, Empress of India has brilliant crimson red petals with a dark throat and bright yellow center atop blue-green foliage, creating a beautiful depth of color in a compact plant that is  perfect for borders or containers. They are non-trailing nasturtium reaching a height of 30 cm. They are often planted as companions to vegetables as they can help to repel harmful pests.

Nasturtiums perform best in full sun, in average, slightly acidic, well-drained soils. Light shade is tolerated in hot summer areas. Nasturtiums do better in soil of moderate to low fertility. Water regularly throughout the growing season, but be careful not to overwater. Deadhead your plants to prolong blooming. If maintaining your nasturtiums in containers, they’ll need to be trimmed back occasionally to promote new foliage. Leaves and flowers can be harvested anytime, using scissors to avoid damaging the plants.

Nasturtiums, among the best-known edible flowers, are very popular with chefs. Not only do they dress up a plate, but they’re high in vitamins A, C (ten times as much as in lettuce), and D. The leaves, flowers, buds, and seeds are all edible, with a peppery flavour that adds a zing to any dish and the immature seeds can be pickled and used like capers.

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