What's not to Love about Nasturtiums?!
I know some people have a bit of a "love / hate" relationship with this plant, but ever since I discovered that the combination of a nasturtium leaf and a little bit of water could create diamonds... I was in love! Yes, they can indeed be a messy plant, straggly even - when left unattended for too long... especially considering their somewhat "invasive" nature.
But there is something magical about a carpet of Nasturtiums - especially when they are happy in their surrounding environment. They are possibly one of the easiest plants to grow (once they get going) and they have a whole lot more to offer than what most people are even aware of!
As Farmer Lee Jones once said about this incredible plant, “Don’t let their innocence fool you. Nasturtium leaves are real head-bangers. At first blush, these leaves are silky and tender like a melody. They’re gently rounded, with no sharp edges, like a folk tune. Mild green, with filament-thin veins radiating like a sunburst from a hot yellow center. Nasturtium means ‘nose twist’ in Latin, fittingly so because, once it hits your tongue, it kicks you in the sinuses like wasabi or horseradish.”
Outside of my fantasy tap water diamond obsession with Nasturtium leaves as a little girl, I can also vividly recall the absolute horror as my mother once shoved one on my mouth and insisted that I chew it. It was probably the most disgusting thing I had ever tasted in my then six years of existence. Glory woman - why on earth would you do that to me?! And I did not even get the luxury of spitting it out after!
I came to learn as I got older that the peppery flavour of the Nasturtium leaves was not quite as vile as I recall it being, but was almost radish like and more importantly... was incredibly good for sore throats, which is obviously what I had at that time, lol.
To be more specific... they have really powerful antiseptic properties, so that particular use is actually a little more diverse than just fixing a sore throat, they can actually treat even quite severe cases of Bronchitis, as both the flowers and the leaves are quite high in vitamin C.
But starting where it all begins - with the seeds, the medicinal magic of the Nasturtium can be ground up into a powder and then made into a paste and applied to any kind of fungal foot infection. The only instance where relative caution is probably recommended is using the leaves or the flowers for anything directly on the skin, because they can actually burn the skin if left on for too long.
I can hear all the men now... "who wants to eat flowers?!" or "why would you put flowers in food?!" - well boys, us girls like pretty things and if we can make anything in life prettier... we will, and this is not limited to ourselves or home decorating, lol - it carries through to our culinary endeavors too! So, alongside the vibrant viola... the bright and cheerful Nasturtium flower is a great garnishing addition to any salad, prepared dish or even plate of food. What better way to add a pop of vitamin C to your meal - and the culinary uses of this plant are not limited to garnishing!
I have been quite keen to get into pesto making the last few months, and though I have not actually "started" anything... I have been doing quite a bit of reading about various pestos etc. - and surprise surprise, this cheerfully bright little all-rounder was there to show off it's diversity once again! Yip... Nasturtium pesto is a thing! Now THAT, I HAVE to and definitely WILL try! First of all, who doesn't love pesto and hey, if it packs a punch of vitamin C, cures my failing eyes and tastes good all at once, Id say we have a win win, lol!
I nicked the below pesto pic from one particular pesto recipe which looked really good and you can check that out too on the Organic Gypsy website. Everything she shares looks fantastic!
Apart from the better known medicinal and culinary uses of this plant is something else which I was not aware of until very recently when I saw a conversation in our local village group about someone who had begun eating them to assist with her deteriorating eye sight. According to this individual, they used to wear glasses but was un willing to continue to pay for the high annual (and monthly) cost of spectacle and/or contact lens maintenance, so they had begun exploring natural avenues to see if there was anything which could assist in that regard - apparently Nasturtium can, and they now no longer have the need for prescription glasses.
Reading about this persons experience pricked my interest, so I looked into it myself. Now, I cannot personally vouch for the efficacy of the remedy, but there definitely seems to be some truth there. From what I have read, Nasturtiums apparently the flowers contain more Lutein than any other edible plant, which supposedly converts to vitamin A which is said to slow/stop age related degeneration of the eye! Taking Lutein is good for your eyes... or so they say anyway, and many of us have an endless supply of that growing in our own gardens!
I wear prescription glasses and have done so for many years now. My career as a graphic designer was the cause of that, because of my countless and sometimes endless hours spent in front of a computer screen, so I would be quite interested to see if this would have a positive impact on my eye sight if I began to consume the flowers regularly.
I guess next Summers salads will be regularly garnished with Nasturtiums, lol. Don't know if you don't try... right :)
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I have only just touched on the surface of uses for this pretty, unsuspecting garden companion. It holds countless more secrets which are definitely worthy of exploration! Not just a pretty face is the unassuming, often overlooked Nasturtium and I implore you all to plant some, somewhere! Ps. They make great indoor plants too :)
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Until next time...
Much Love from Country Bumpkinland, South Africa xxx
Jaynielea
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