Lakeshore Garden Centres Plant Finder

Other Names:  Indian Cress, Monk's Cress

Description:

A spreading variety with interesting dark green foliage with white variegation; blooms range in color with shades of cream, yellow, orange, bronze, and burgundy; great as an annual in mixed beds, containers or borders

Ornamental Features

Jewel of Africa Nasturtium features showy fragrant orange trumpet-shaped flowers with red overtones held atop the stems from early summer to early fall. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its round leaves remain green in colour with showy white variegation throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Jewel of Africa Nasturtium is an herbaceous annual with a trailing habit of growth, eventually spilling over the edges of hanging baskets and containers. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep. Trim off the flower heads after they fade and die to encourage more blooms late into the season. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies to your yard. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Insects

Jewel of Africa Nasturtium is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• Border Edging
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting
• Hanging Baskets

Planting & Growing

Jewel of Africa Nasturtium will grow to be about 12 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 6 feet. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 6 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. This fast-growing annual will normally live for one full growing season, needing replacement the following year.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.

Jewel of Africa Nasturtium is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor containers and hanging baskets. Because of its trailing habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.