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An armload of Cress Wrinkled Crinkled
An armload of Cress Wrinkled Crinkled
Cress Wrinkled Crinkled growing in the field
Cress Wrinkled Crinkled growing in the field
A close up of Cress Wrinkled Crinkled
A bunch of Cress Wrinkled Crinkled
A handful of Cress Wrinkled Crinkled

Cress ‘Wrinkled Crinkled’

Lepidium sativum

Features

  • Dryable
  • Easy to grow
  • Edible
  • Foliage & Filler
  • One-hit wonder

Description

Cress is typically marketed as a salad green, however, if allowed to go to seed, it makes a bulletproof, versatile filler. Graceful, silvery panicles are covered with shimmery seedpods. Cress is durable and ages well, turning golden at the end of the season. A must-grow for late-season mixed bouquets and fall wreaths, as it can be used either fresh or dried.

Details

Plant type: hardy annual
Height: 36 to 40 in
Site: full sun
Days to maturity: 50 to 60 days
Plant spacing: 2 to 4 in
Pinch: do not pinch

Seed Sowing & Growing Notes

Start seed indoors in trays 4 to 6 weeks before last frost; transplant out after all danger of frost has passed, or direct-seed as soon as the ground can be worked. Succession-plant every 2 weeks for continual harvest. Don’t pinch plants.

Harvesting/Vase Life

Harvest when seedpods are fully formed and the top blooms have faded. Expect a vase life of 7 to 10 days. Seed heads can be dried and used indefinitely. To dry, hang upside down in a warm, dark place until firm.

Details

Description

Cress is typically marketed as a salad green, however, if allowed to go to seed, it makes a bulletproof, versatile filler. Graceful, silvery panicles are covered with shimmery seedpods. Cress is durable and ages well, turning golden at the end of the season. A must-grow for late-season mixed bouquets and fall wreaths, as it can be used either fresh or dried.

Details

Plant type: hardy annual
Height: 36 to 40 in
Site: full sun
Days to maturity: 50 to 60 days
Plant spacing: 2 to 4 in
Pinch: do not pinch

Seed Sowing & Growing Notes

Start seed indoors in trays 4 to 6 weeks before last frost; transplant out after all danger of frost has passed, or direct-seed as soon as the ground can be worked. Succession-plant every 2 weeks for continual harvest. Don’t pinch plants.

Harvesting/Vase Life

Harvest when seedpods are fully formed and the top blooms have faded. Expect a vase life of 7 to 10 days. Seed heads can be dried and used indefinitely. To dry, hang upside down in a warm, dark place until firm.

Sources

How to Grow

How to Grow

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In our upcoming free, three-part video series, you’ll learn everything you need to know to save seeds on a home scale, including how plants are pollinated and isolation techniques to ensure varieties come back true, how to tell when plants are ready to pick and how to harvest the seeds, and how to properly dry, clean, and store seeds long term.