Plants in family brassicaceae
Cardamine quinquefolia
Cardamine quinquefolia, also known as the five-leaved cuckoo flower, is a spring ephemeral groundcover native to the beech and oak forests around the Black Sea. It features deeply lobed green foliage and mauve flowers that bloom in late winter. This plant dies down in summer and is recognized for its ability to attract butterflies. It has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
Brassica oleracea ssp. gemmifera
Brassica oleracea ssp. gemmifera, commonly known as Brussels sprouts, is a historically underappreciated vegetable that becomes delicious when deep-fried, steamed, or roasted. It requires ample water, nutrients, and time to grow, with frost improving its flavor. The plants resemble small palm trees and benefit from row covers to protect against pests.
Rorippa aquatica
Rorippa aquatica, commonly known as lakecress, is a submerged perennial plant found in the Great Lakes and Mississippi watersheds. It features emergent flowering branches and is typically located in slow-moving waters. This plant is undemanding and grows very slowly, making it suitable for aquariums.
Brassica oleracea ssp. botrytis 'Romanesco'
Brassica oleracea ssp. botrytis 'Romanesco' is a unique vegetable that sits between broccoli and cauliflower, known for its nutty flavor and texture similar to cauliflower. It forms 5-6 inch heads and is easier to grow for a fall harvest. Its distinctive appearance and taste make it a popular choice for culinary gardens.
Lobularia maritima 'Allure Pastel Blend'
Lobularia maritima 'Allure Pastel Blend' is a sweetly fragrant plant with pastel shades of tiny flowers. It forms low, compact mounds and has mild-clove-flavored petals. The central disk is edible but can be bitter, adding a unique touch to gardens.
Eruca vesicaria
Eruca vesicaria, commonly known as wild arugula, is a perennial herb with a stronger, more complex peppery flavor compared to common arugula. It is high in vitamin C and potassium and can be grown indoors year-round. This plant is native to the Mediterranean region and is used as a leaf vegetable in salads and pasta dishes. It grows to about 8 to 40 inches tall and produces creamy white flowers with purple veins. Wild arugula is known for its resilience in dry, disturbed ground and is a rich source of nutrients, making it a valuable addition to any kitchen garden.
Lunaria annua
Lunaria annua, also known as honesty or silver dollar, is a biennial plant popular for its translucent, disc-shaped seed pods used in winter arrangements. Native to southern Europe, it grows up to 3 feet tall and features white, pink, or violet flowers. The plant is easy to grow from seed and thrives in shady or dappled areas.
Brassica oleracea
Brassica oleracea is a diverse blend of kale varieties, including 'Dwarf Blue Curled' and 'Red Russian', known for their variety of colors and flavors. This frost-hardy crop sweetens after the first fall frost and is rich in vitamins A and C, calcium, and iron.
Crambe maritima
Crambe maritima, also known as sea kale, is a salt-tolerant plant related to cabbage, native to European coasts. It features thick, waxy blue leaves and tall spikes of white flowers in spring. Historically cultivated as a vegetable, it thrives in salty soils and is a dominant plant in shingle beach communities.
Diplotaxis tenuifolia
Diplotaxis tenuifolia, or wild arugula, is a fast-growing plant with a compact rosette form and a peppery flavor. It is a perennial in USDA zones 6-10 and is cultivated for its salad leaves. This plant thrives in full sunlight and moderately damp, slightly alkaline soils.
Matthiola incana 'Column Blend'
Matthiola incana 'Column Blend' is a plant known for its fully double blooms and spicy, clove-like scent. It thrives in cool weather and is excellent for container gardening. This plant's fragrant flowers make it a charming addition to gardens, especially in areas with mild climates.
Brassica juncea
Brassica juncea, commonly known as Chinese mustard, is a leafy green with a pungent flavor enjoyed in various Asian cuisines. It has curled leaves and wide stems, offering a mild taste when young. This plant is rich in vitamins and can be used fresh in salads or cooked in diverse dishes.
Brassica oleracea ssp. gemmifera 'Silvia'
Brassica oleracea ssp. gemmifera 'Silvia' is a brussels sprout variety with high resistance to Fusarium Yellows and intermediate resistance to Blackrot. It also has high tolerance to bolting, making it a resilient choice for gardeners.
Brassica oleracea ssp. capitata 'Copenhagen Market'
Brassica oleracea ssp. capitata 'Copenhagen Market' is a quick-to-mature cabbage variety introduced in 1909. It produces tightly wrapped heads 6-8 inches in diameter, weighing 3-4 pounds. This cabbage is adaptable to a range of climates, resists splitting, and can be stored for up to 6 months, making it a reliable choice for gardeners.
Iberis sempervirens
Iberis sempervirens, or evergreen candytuft, is a perennial with small white flowers that bloom in early spring. Native to southern Europe, it is suitable for borders or rock gardens and thrives in well-drained soil with full or partial sun.
Cardamine bulbosa
Cardamine bulbosa, commonly known as bulbous bittercress, is a US native perennial found in moist soils of bottomland forests. It forms a patch about 10 inches tall and produces dangling white flowers in early February. The leaves are edible with a peppery taste.
Raphanus raphanistrum ssp. sativus
Raphanus raphanistrum ssp. sativus, known as 'Noir Gros Rond d'Hiver', is an extra-large winter radish with a spiciness that mellows when cooked. It requires cool temperatures and shortening day lengths to form, making it ideal for late summer or fall sowing.
Brassica oleracea ssp. capitata
Brassica oleracea ssp. capitata is a cabbage variety with pointed heads and tightly wrapped leaves, weighing 1.5 to 2 pounds when fully grown. It is known for its mild and sweet flavor, making it a popular choice for culinary use.
Pachyphragma macrophyllum
Pachyphragma macrophyllum is a woodland garden plant native to Iran and Turkey, known for its corrugated, rounded green leaves. It grows to 18 inches tall and 2 feet wide, producing white four-petaled flowers in late March to April. This plant is adaptable to moist to fairly dry soils and becomes semi-dormant in hot summers. Pachyphragma macrophyllum is an excellent choice for shade gardens, providing early spring blooms and attractive foliage throughout the growing season.
Brassica juncea 'Red Giant'
Brassica juncea 'Red Giant' is a bold mustard plant with maroon leaves and lime veins, known for its edible and ornamental qualities. The mustard flavor intensifies with age and heat, making it spicier than traditional varieties. It is cold tolerant and bolt resistant, making it a robust choice for gardens.
Brassica oleracea ssp. botrytis
Brassica oleracea ssp. botrytis is a flavorful vegetable known for its 6-inch snow-white heads. It matures in 70 to 80 days and is successful in short-season areas. The plant's leaves curl naturally for self-blanching, and it is heat tolerant, making it suitable for year-round growth in mild climates.
Brassica oleracea ssp. capitata 'Red Acre'
Brassica oleracea ssp. capitata 'Red Acre' is a deep-red cabbage known for its sweet flavor and solid heads. This compact plant is resistant to splitting and cabbage yellows disease, making it a reliable choice for gardens.
Lobularia maritima
Lobularia maritima, commonly known as sweet alyssum, is a compact ground cover that blooms throughout the growing season. It is known for its sweet fragrance and tiny rose-pink flowers, which attract pollinators. This plant is drought and heat tolerant, making it ideal for rock gardens and containers. Its edible flowers have a mild, grassy or mustardy flavor, adding a unique touch to culinary dishes.
Brassica cretica
Brassica cretica is a versatile plant known for its small to medium-sized heads and numerous side shoots, making it ideal for multiple harvests. It is a good freezer variety with edible leaves that can be cooked like chard. This plant is rich in vitamins and antioxidants, offering a tangy flavor and heat tolerance. It grows well in a range of temperatures and is resistant to Fusarium yellows, making it a reliable choice for home gardeners.
Brassica rapa
Brassica rapa, also known as pak choi, is a mild mustard green that is easy to grow and ideal for containers. It has flat, smooth, dark green leaves and is slow to bolt, tolerating cold, heat, and dry conditions. This plant is best harvested at 5-6 inches tall and is ready in about 35 days.
Draba ramosissima
Draba ramosissima, known as branched draba, is a small perennial herb native to the Appalachian Mountains. It features racemes of white flowers in spring and thrives on limestone cliffs and shale barrens. This plant forms a tiny evergreen branched bun of dark green foliage and requires good drainage to flourish.
Brassica rapa var. ruvo
Brassica rapa var. ruvo, known in Italy as 'broccoletti', offers tender stems, buds, flowers, and leaves with a slightly bitter, peppery broccoli flavor. It is enjoyed in salads, stir-fries, or steamed, and the budding florets should be harvested just before the flowers open.
Cardamine lyrata
Cardamine lyrata is a marsh plant native to eastern Asia, known for its clover-like pattern and rapid growth under the right conditions. It thrives in cool, slow-moving water with strong light and high CO2 levels. This plant is often used in aquariums and provides coverage for aquatic life.
Nasturtium officinale
Nasturtium officinale, commonly known as watercress, is a plant with a peppery and pungent flavor, high in vitamins A, C, and K. It grows along streams and lakes and can be cultivated in moist, partly shady gardens or indoors in containers.
Cardamine douglassii
Cardamine douglassii is a native spring ephemeral plant that emerges in early November. It forms flat rosettes of glaucous leaves and expands into a 1-foot tall clump in mid-February, producing mauvy-pink flower spikes. This plant is native to states bordering the Mississippi River and is suitable for wet woodlands, adding a touch of color to spring gardens.