American cress

Barbarea verna

Barbarea

Brassicaceae

Edibles & Herbs

Zone 2–10

🌱 Beginner Friendly

American cress is a cool-season biennial that grows best in moist, fertile soil with partial to full sun exposure. It is an easy-to-grow edible green with a peppery flavor similar to watercress, ideal for early spring or autumn harvests. Keep the soil consistently moist and harvest young leaves regularly to encourage fresh, tender growth.

Care Requirements

Care Level

Low

Sun

Partial Sun

Water

Moderate

Growth Rate

Moderate

Mature Height

6″ – 24″

Soil

loam

Life Cycle

Perennial

Spacing

12″

Watering Schedule

Every 5-7 Days • Water Moderately, Keeping Soil Evenly Moist But Not Waterlogged

Soil pH

5.5 – 6.5

Temperature

-40° – 85°F

Mature Spread

up to 12″

Root Depth

Medium

Foliage

Medium

Propagation: Seed

Ecology & Origin

Native to

Alabama

Alaska

Amsterdam-St.Paul Is

Argentina South

Arkansas

Austria

Azores

Belgium

British Columbia

California

Canary Is.

Cape Provinces

Chile Central

Chile South

Colorado

Connecticut

Corse

Delaware

Denmark

District of Columbia

Attracts

🐝 Bees

🐝 Butterflies

Safety & Use

🍳 Culinary

Sources

Data: trefle, usda

Image: trefle.io — Taken May 17, 2020 by dj pears (cc-by-sa)

Hardiness Zones

Check your zone:

Available From (0)

No nurseries currently have this species in stock.