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Lepidium sativum

Cress · Cultivated Cress · Garden Cress · Gardencress Pepperweed

Family BrassicaceaeGenus Lepidium

Flat-topped heads of small white four-petalled flowers with green centers, on a branching green stem.
FlowerKrzysztof Ziarnek, KenraizCC BY-SA 4.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

Habit
annualPlants of the World Online
Habit
Annual, Forb/herbPLANTS Database
Flower
White, lavenderFlora of North America
Native range
Afghanistan, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Central European Russia and elsewhereGBIF Backbone Taxonomy

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; PLANTS Database — USDA NRCS; Flora of North America — Flora of North America Editorial Committee; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • A fast-growing relative of watercress and mustard with the same peppery flavor; it is also called poor man's pepper. It is eaten as sprouts, and its seed pods make a peppery seasoning. Wikipedia: Garden cress

This source reports two treatments. Both are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 21, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Temperature: 40°F 4°C Light: either

Germination happens during step 1, in 15 days.

95% germination in 11–15 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Lepidium p. 165Public domain
Show the original text
Lepidium (Brassicaceae). L. sativum germ. 70(95% in 2-8 d) and 40(95% in 11-15 d). Light had no effect.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Lepidium p. 165. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 28, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: either

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 8 days to germinate.

95% germination in 2–8 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Lepidium p. 165Public domain
Show the original text
Lepidium (Brassicaceae). L. sativum germ. 70(95% in 2-8 d) and 40(95% in 11-15 d). Light had no effect.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Lepidium p. 165. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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