Real watercress

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Real watercress
Real watercress (Nasturtium officinale), illustration

Real watercress ( Nasturtium officinale ), illustration

Systematics
Eurosiden II
Order : Cruciferous (Brassicales)
Family : Cruciferous vegetables (Brassicaceae)
Tribe : Cardamineae
Genre : Watercress ( nasturtium )
Type : Real watercress
Scientific name
Nasturtium officinale
WTAiton

The real watercress or watercress ( Nasturtium officinale ), also called watercress , is a type of plant from the genus of the watercress ( Nasturtium ) of the cruciferous family (Brassicaceae) used as a vegetable .

In relation to its location, its name is derived from the Middle High German brunne (source, spring water, groundwater, flowing water).

description

Habitus.
The stem crawls on the ground and takes root at the nodes.
Pinnate leaves.
The leaves are slightly eyed at the base.
Flowers with yellow anthers.
Infructescence with the pod sticking out almost horizontally.
The pods are round in cross section.
The seeds are arranged in two rows in the pod.

features

This evergreen , perennial herbaceous plant is a swamp or water plant . It has hollow, round stems that are between 15 and 80, sometimes 90 centimeters long and lie in the water. The shoots are bare. The rounded root leaflets drift at the lower end. The small, grass-green, unpaired pinnate leaves usually consist of two to four (rarely one or five) pairs of leaflets. Advent roots sprout from the nodes .

Then there are many-flowered, loose racemose inflorescences . The hermaphrodite flowers are fourfold. The petals are longer than the calyx. The white petals are 3 to 4 millimeters long. It has six yellow anthers . After flowering, the shoot often turns purple. The pods are 8 to 20 millimeters long and 2 to 3 millimeters wide and clearly contain up to 60 seeds in two rows. The pod is thus about the same length or longer than the fruit stalk. The seeds are divided into about 25 fields like a honeycomb on the surface. The thousand grain mass is 2.8 grams.

The flowering period begins at the end of May, sometimes also in June and lasts until July. The fruits ripen from September to October.

The number of chromosomes is 2n = 32.

Real watercress ( Nasturtium officinale )

Differentiation from similar species

The real watercress can easily be confused with the bitter foam herb that grows in the same locations , which can be distinguished by its purple anthers and the pith-filled, non-creeping stems as well as the non-eared leaves. A mix-up when using watercress as a salad is not critical, since the bitter foam herb is non-toxic and has similar properties to watercress. Related species are the hairy foam herb ( Cardamine hirsuta ) or the spring barbara herb ( Barbarea verna ). Both types mentioned are very similar to watercress and can be used for cultivation without water accumulation.

ecology

The flowers of the real watercress are "nectar-bearing disc flowers". The nectar that is secreted at the base of the sagging sepals can only be reached by butterflies and bees . In bad weather, spontaneous self-pollination takes place in the closed flowers.

The pods are wind spreaders. The seeds can be carried away by water birds in the plumage of water birds.

The real watercress is a long-day plant . The plant stops growing below 7 ° C.

Occurrence, distribution and endangerment

The original distribution area of ​​the real watercress is in Europe , North Africa with Macaronesia and Asia . As a neophyte, it now grows almost everywhere in the world. In Austria , the real watercress occurs rarely to very rarely in all federal states. It is considered endangered in the northern and south-eastern Alpine foothills and in the Pannonian Flora Province as endangered.

The real watercress prefers flowing, nutrient-rich waters in a sunny to partially shaded location. So it occurs at springs, streams and ponds. In Central Europe it is a character species of the Nasturtietum officinalis from the Sparganio-Glycerion association, but also occurs in open running water in the form fo. submersa happiness down to 1 meter water depth in societies of the association Ranunculion fluitantis. Although watercress prefers cool, fast-flowing water, it is found in Yellowstone National Park on the banks of thermal springs that are around 40 ° C.

Systematics

Nasturtium officinale was established in 1812 by William Townsend Aiton in the second edition of Hortus Kewensis , volume 4, page 110. Synonyms are Nasturtium aquaticum Wahlenb. , Nasturtium fontanum Ash. , Nasturtium nasturtium-aquaticum ( L. ) H. Karst. , nom. inval., Nasturtium siifolium Rchb. , Radicula nasturtium Cav. , Radicula nasturtium-aquaticum ( L. ) Rendle & Britten , Rorippa nasturtium Beck , Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum ( L. ) Hayek , Sisymbrium nasturtium Thunb. , Sisymbrium nasturtium-aquaticum L. .

Like the small-leaved watercress, the real watercress is a parent of the naturally occurring hybrid bastard watercress or sterile watercress ( Nasturtium × sterile ( Airy Shaw ) Oefelein , Syn .: Rorippa × sterilis Airy Shaw ).

use

Origin and history

The Greeks and Romans already used watercress. At that time, however, it was not cultivated, but collected in naturally occurring locations. She is originally from Europe. Some historians document the first introduction of the culture in Germany by Nicolaus Meißner in 1650. In any case, Christian Reichert (1685–1775) developed the cultivation system in so-called blades (moats) in the Erfurt area in Dreienbrunnen. From the 18th century until today, watercress has been cultivated there in the Dreibrunnenfeld of the Kressepark Erfurt. The Dreibrunnenfeld is known for its warm springs. Napoleon took a gardener from Erfurt with him in 1809 and introduced the culture near Versailles. In 1810, cress ditches were dug in the Ronette valley between Senlis and Chantilly in France. Even in 1909, the demand for watercress for Paris could not be completely met from French production. From 1929 to 1932, mainly five family businesses around Erfurt were involved in the cultivation and continued to improve the cultivation system. The vegetables were delivered by express train to many large cities and to France, Switzerland and the Benelux countries. However, as clean surface water became increasingly rare in the 20th century, cultivation decreased more and more. Since the 1990s, however, watercress has experienced a renaissance through a return to "old and forgotten" vegetables. In Switzerland there was still 1.2 hectares of cultivation area in the canton of Bern until 1991. In 2001 an attempt was made in the USA to offer colorful mixtures of different colored watercress types in combination with edible flowers. The only cultivation still practiced in Switzerland today is operated by the third generation of the Motzet family and is located in Wynau in the canton of Bern with 0.6 hectares. About 20 tons of watercress are harvested from this area each year.

The pungent taste of the plants, which is caused by the mustard oil glycosides they contain , gave the cress its name, derived from the Old High German word cresso 'spicy'

Types and varieties

Watercress in flower

There are many clones of watercress that have emerged over the years from plants that have been individually propagated and selected on the individual farms. The most common is the clone 'Dark Green American' with a dark green color. The light green clone 'French Green', which was previously grown even more, is no longer popular because of its light color. A cross with the small-leaved watercress ( Nasturtium microphyllum ) with a brown color is hardly ever grown.

meaning

Watercress is used for production in England with a harvest of 4000 tons in 1987. Here it is one of the "better cuisine" and is grown mainly in the area of ​​the South Downs and scattered between Oxford and London. In France , 100 hectares were cultivated in 1987; it is also grown in the Benelux countries and Portugal . In Switzerland there are still 0.6 hectares of cultivation in the canton of Bern. In Germany there are still 70 hectares of cultivation area around Erfurt. There are non-European cultivation areas in Florida and Hawaii , where in 1981 800 tons were harvested on 13 hectares.

Cultivation and harvest

Traditional cultivation of watercress in Erfurt .

In cultivation, the real watercress is preferred in karst areas with many springs. Watercress is also grown in England, as there is plenty of fresh, clean spring water. With its 10 to 12 ° C it offers optimal conditions. Watercress can withstand temperatures of up to 30 ° C if the water supply is sufficient. The important thing is a shallow trench that is 40 to 60 centimeters deep and about 2.5 to 3 meters wide and filled with slowly flowing water. The walls built up to the side of the trench protect the trenches from cold wind in winter. The trenches, also called blades, are provided with an inflow and outflow that can be used to regulate the water level. This also drains the blade for planting or sowing. Clean spring water is a prerequisite so that no pathogens in the watercress culture multiply and enter the nutritional cycle. Traditionally, the dark and dark purple clones were grown more in winter, the varieties with green leaves more in summer. But that is no longer of great importance today. It is propagated via cuttings , where the company's own variety is genetically preserved, or via seeds. The plants that arise from seed propagation vary genetically and can produce different growth types. The seeds mostly come from France and Portugal. After preculture with 6 weeks in summer to 15 weeks in winter, the plants are planted out in the desired size of 10 to 30 centimeters in length. The seeds are sown directly during the dry phase of the cultivation facility from mid-May to August. The seeds are lightly covered with soil. However, propagation by sowing takes considerably longer. The blades have to be replanted every year. After planting or germination, the water level is slowly raised as the plant grows. The water must always flow so that it is adequately purified. The harvest period extends from September to the beginning of flowering in May. In an extensive culture, the plants remain in culture for up to ten years. In intensive cultivation, the culture is re-established every year or after two years at the latest. The culture is not fertilized to very little. The plant is cut and cleaned over and over again. The shoots are harvested with a length of 12 to 15 centimeters and bundled together to 70 to 120 grams, depending on the recipient. Packaging in plastic bags is also common. This means that around 3.5 kg / m² can be harvested. Due to the high proportion of labor costs in the product, yield cultivation is also more established in small businesses. It is harvested by hand or with a scythe because watercress is sensitive to pressure. To prevent frost damage, it is covered with fleece. Since the cultivation outside, the harvest takes place in the winter half-year in adverse weather conditions, the cultivation is rather declining, which in research in Weihenstephan has stimulated attempts to cultivate in pots since 1985. Yields of 6 to 12 kg / m² are possible here. Culture on tables in pots and with an ebb and flow system is also possible. The shoots standing above the water are pressed under water to protect against frost. Today they can also be covered with foils or foil / fleece tunnels.

Diseases and pests

Since today, for hygienic reasons, a lot of work is done in closed cultivation methods, some of which are roofed over with greenhouses for the winter, there is more likely to be a lack of nutrients if the nutrient solution is unbalanced. Since the plant partially protrudes from the water, snails and aphids can also be found on it. Weeds also become a problem where cultivation is not carried out directly in the water or during the drainage phase of the systems. Deliveries from the USA for cultivation in England contained plant viruses such as cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), cauliflower mosaic virus and Turnip yellow mosaic virus (TYMV). The viruses were eliminated by meristem propagation. Wild ducks are deterred by colored ribbons. Fungal diseases are promoted by standing water and high daytime temperatures in summer and autumn. The fungal diseases are downy mildew ( Peronospora parasitica ), Septoria leaf spots ( Septoria sisymbrii ) and crook root, which is caused by the fungus Spongospora nasturtii . Sciarid gnats are more common if the culture is not started properly. Beneficial insects ( nematodes ) are used for defense . The coal flea also occurs frequently and eats holes in the leaves.

use

Structural chemical formula of gluconastriin

kitchen

The real watercress has a fresh, slightly pungent taste, which is caused by the mustard oil glycoside gluconasturtiin . Its taste is reminiscent of the related garden cress . Like garden cress, watercress is used in soups and salads. It is also suitable for garnishing sandwiches , with steaks and is particularly tasty with raw spinach . Watercress is not suitable for drying or as a spice because it then has almost no taste. However, there is a craft beer made from watercress in Belgium called La Cress, which is brewed in Tongeren .

ingredients

Nutritional value per 100 g of fresh watercress leaves
Calorific value 80 kJ (19 kcal)
water 93.3 g
protein 2.2 g
carbohydrates 3 g
- fiber N / A
fat 0.3 g
Vitamins and minerals
Vitamin A 2.940 mg beta carotene
Vitamin B 1 0.08 mg
Vitamin B 2 0.16 mg
Vitamin B 3 0.9 mg
vitamin C 79 mg
Calcium 54 mg
iron 1.7 mg
sodium 52 mg
phosphorus 54 mg
potassium 282 mg

The real watercress contains bitter substances , tannins , sugar , essential oils , raphanol , vitamins A, B1, B2, C and E, and minerals such as iron , iodine , phosphorus and calcium . It used to be an important supplier of vitamin C due to the fact that it could already be harvested in winter.

storage

Since the watercress is very used to humid conditions, it only lasts for one day at room temperature and must be eaten soon. Wrapped in foil and stored in the refrigerator at 3 to 5 ° C, it can be kept for a week.

Medical importance

Hygiene in cultivation

Once the plants bloom, they are no longer suitable for consumption. Plants should only be harvested from flowing water to minimize bacterial load. In France, infections with the great liver fluke have been detected in humans through consumption of unfermented watercress from animal pastures or from the wild ( Dönges, Parasitology ). For this reason, only cultivated watercress should be used, especially in England with a large proportion of sheep pastures, to prevent contamination with the great liver fluke through the sheep droppings.

Folk medicine

This ancient medicinal plant is considered an aphrodisiac and stimulates the appetite, stimulates the metabolism, urinates and urinates. In naturopathy, it is recommended for “purifying” the liver, lungs and stomach. It is also said to help with diabetes mellitus . It is used in spring cures and against rheumatism. Applied externally, it serves as a hair tonic and to clarify the complexion. As early as the 17th century, watercress was a valued remedy for scurvy because of its vitamin C content . That this was a mistake, however, has already been proven by the fact that watercress, like the spoonweed, could only be used against scurvy on land, where fresh and balanced food was also available at the same time. Watercress is also known for its blood cleansing and blood building effects. It is also recommended as an anti-inflammatory for the oral mucosa.

homeopathy

In Homeopathy is Nasturtium officinale use. The ascribed effect especially against urinary tract infections has not been scientifically confirmed.

Watercress in the literature

  • GP Daniels: The two cousins ​​and the Watercress Girl . Providence, 1843, OCLC 5878162 .

See also

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Dieter Lehmann: Two medical prescription books of the 15th century from the Upper Rhine. Part I: Text and Glossary. Horst Wellm, Pattensen / Han. 1985, now at Königshausen & Neumann, Würzburg (= Würzburg medical-historical research , 34), ISBN 3-921456-63-0 , p. 164.
  2. ↑ a b c GW Bischoff: Grundriss der Medicinischen Botanik: as a guide for lectures, as well as for self-study and especially ... A. Osswald, 1831, p. 17 .
  3. ↑ a b Tai-yien Cheo, Lianli Lu, Guang Yang, Ihsan Al-Shehbaz, Vladimir Dorofeev: Brassicaceae . In Wu Zheng-yi, Peter H. Raven (Ed.): Flora of China . Volume 8: Brassicaceae through Saxifragaceae . Science Press / Missouri Botanical Garden Press, Beijing / St. Louis 2001, ISBN 0-915279-93-2 , Nasturtium officinale , p. 136 (English, online ).
  4. ↑ SMH Jafri: Flora of West Pakistan 55: Brassicaceae . Stewart Herbarium, Rawalpindi 1973, Nasturtium officinale , p. 185 ( online ).
  5. ↑ a b Konrad Lauber, Gerhart Wagner: Flora Helvetica. 4th edition. Haupt, Bern, Stuttgart, Berlin 2007, ISBN 978-3-258-07240-1 , No. 631, p. 354.
  6. ↑ Werner Rauh, Karlheinz Senghas: Flora of Germany and its adjacent areas. Founded by Otto Schmeil, Jost Fitschen. 88th edition. Quelle & Meyer, Heidelberg / Wiesbaden 1988, ISBN 3-494-01166-4 .
  7. ^ COUNCIL George: Vegetable Seed Production. 2nd Edition. CABI Publishing, CAB International 1999, ISBN 0-85199-336-2 , pp. 162-163.
  8. ↑ a b c Ruprecht Düll , Herfried Kutzelnigg : Pocket dictionary of plants in Germany and neighboring countries. The most common Central European species in portrait . 7th, corrected and enlarged edition. Quelle & Meyer, Wiebelsheim 2011, ISBN 978-3-494-01424-1 , p.  527-528 .
  9. ↑ G. Steinbach: The plants of our home. Signpost through nature. ADAC-Verlag, Munich 1999, ISBN 3-87003-879-9 , p. 91.
  10. ↑ a b c M. Kohl, R. Habegger: Watercress as a pot culture - a worthwhile alternative? In: vegetables. Volume 25, No. 1, 1989, pp. 14-16.
  11. ↑ a b c d e f g O. Burgundy: Watercress - a special culture . In: vegetables . tape 27 , no. 12 , 1991, pp. 556-557 .
  12. ^ A b Manfred A. Fischer, Karl Oswald, Wolfgang Adler: Excursion flora for Austria, Liechtenstein and South Tyrol . 3rd, improved edition. Province of Upper Austria, Biology Center of the Upper Austrian State Museums, Linz 2008, ISBN 978-3-85474-187-9 , p. 635, 636 .
  13. ^ Erich Oberdorfer : Plant-sociological excursion flora for Germany and neighboring areas . With the collaboration of Angelika Schwabe and Theo Müller. 8th, heavily revised and expanded edition. Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart (Hohenheim) 2001, ISBN 3-8001-3131-5 , pp.  468 .
  14. ^ William Townsend Aiton: Hortus kewensis . A Catalog of Plants cultivated in The Royal Botanic Garden at Kew. 2nd Edition. tape IV . London 1812, p. 110 ( digitized from Biblioteca Digital del Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid ).
  15. ↑ P. Hanelt, R. Büttner, R. Mansfeld: Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops (except ornamentals). Volume 3, Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York 2001, ISBN 3-540-41017-1 , pp. 1421-1422.
  16. ↑ Karol Marhold: Details for: Nasturtium officinale. In: Euro + Med Plantbase - the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity. Botanical Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem, accessed on February 11, 2012 (English).
  17. ↑ Taxon: Nasturtium officinale in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), USDA , ARS , National Genetic Resources Program. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. (English)
  18. ↑ a b c d e f H. Settegast: Illustrated manual of horticulture. Verlag von JJ Arnd, 1909 ?, pp. 666–667.
  19. ↑ History of cress Park Erfurt. Creativ Traiteur GmbH, accessed on February 12, 2012 .
  20. ↑ a b c d e f g E. Czekalla, M. Krumbein: The watercress - an old Erfurt specialty . In: Taspo Magazine . No. 11 , 2001, p. 20-22 .
  21. ↑ Anonymous: Colorful watercress. from: HortScience February 2002. In: Vegetables. Volume 38, No. 6, 2002, p. 20.
  22. ↑ Entry on cress. In: Römpp Online . Georg Thieme Verlag, accessed on June 28, 2012.
  23. ↑ Garden cress Lepidium sativum . (PDF; 680 kB) Karlsruhe University of Education.
  24. ↑ a b c d e f g M. Blanke: Watercress - an environmentally friendly vegetable - cultivation and use in England . In: Gartenbau Magazin . Volume 1, No. 7 , 1992, pp. 53-54 .
  25. ↑ a b C. Homer, Ph. D. Thompson: Vegetable Crops. 4th edition. McGraw-Hill Publications, New-York Toronto London 1949, p. 354.
  26. ↑ a b L. Müller: Vegetable growing - A manual and textbook for horticultural practice. Verlagsgesellschaft H. Rillinger, Nordhausen am Harz 1937 ?, pp. 203–205.
  27. ↑ a b c d F. Michalsky, A. Hanke, WH Schnitzler: Watercress. In: vegetables. Volume 29, No. 12, 1993, pp. 623-624.
  28. ↑ ST Koike, P. Glad of the S, AO Paul Vegetable diseases: a color handbook. Gulf Professional Publishing 2007, ISBN 978-0-12-373675-8 , p. 416.
  29. ↑ J. Becker-Dillingen: Handbook of the entire vegetable cultivation . 5th edition. Paul Parey, Berlin / Hamburg 1950, OCLC 258593002 , p. 393-398 .
  30. ↑ YES Duke, JA Ayensu, ES Ayensu: Medicinal Plants of China. Reference Publications Inc. 1985, ISBN 0-917256-20-4 .
  31. ↑ Oskar Sebald: Guide through nature. Wild plants of Central Europe . ADAC Verlag, Munich 1989, ISBN 3-87003-352-5 .
  32. ^ F. Oesterlen: Handbuch der Heilmittelellehre. 4th edition. Verlag H. Laupp, 1851, p. 573.
  33. ↑ Monika Schulte-Löbbert: Watercress: Pick-me-up for spring (medicinal plant portrait). PTA forum at Govi-Verlag, accessed on July 7, 2013 .

Web links

Commons : Real watercress ( Nasturtium officinale )  - album with pictures, videos and audio files
Wiktionary: watercress  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations