Dutch Broadleaf Cress
Dutch Broadleaf Cress
Lepidium sativum
Seeds per pack ~ 200
Germination: 99% Oct 2024 (Packed for 2025)
Origins and History
Dutch Broadleaf Cress, is a traditional European heirloom green long cherished for its fast growth and peppery flavor. While cress itself has ancient origins in the Middle East and Mediterranean, where it was valued for both culinary and medicinal uses, the broadleaf Dutch strain gained prominence in northern Europe. Dutch gardeners selected this variety for its larger, flatter leaves and milder taste compared to more pungent upland cresses, making it a staple of kitchen gardens and urban window boxes for centuries.
Appearance and Characteristics
This variety is a leafy annual herb with broader, rounder leaves than the fine, frilly cress types. The foliage is bright green, tender, and slightly succulent, forming a lush, dense mat of growth. Dutch Broadleaf Cress is known for its rapid germination—often sprouting within 3 to 5 days—and quick maturity, typically ready to harvest within 2 to 3 weeks. Its flavor is fresh, crisp, and lightly peppery, similar to watercress but easier to grow in soil.
Culinary Uses
Dutch Broadleaf Cress is prized as a cut-and-come-again salad green. Its delicate yet peppery leaves are used fresh in sandwiches, salads, egg dishes, and as garnishes. It can be blended into soups, purées, and sauces for a lively bite. In traditional European cooking, cress was often served alongside rich meats, cheeses, or buttered bread, balancing heavier flavors with its sharp freshness. It is best eaten raw, as cooking diminishes its characteristic zest.
Growing Tips
Cress is one of the easiest and most forgiving greens to grow, making it ideal for both beginner gardeners and intensive succession planting. Dutch Broadleaf Cress thrives in USDA zones 3–9, though it prefers cool conditions. It is best sown directly outdoors in early spring or fall, as hot summer weather can cause bolting and bitter leaves. Seeds should be sown shallowly, about ¼ inch deep, and thinned to about 2–3 inches apart. Continuous sowings every 2–3 weeks ensure a steady harvest. The plant tolerates containers, raised beds, and even indoor trays with adequate light.
Harvesting Guidance
Dutch Broadleaf Cress matures quickly, with baby leaves ready to cut within 12–15 days and full-size leaves in 20–25 days. Harvest can be done by snipping individual leaves or shearing the tops when they reach 2–4 inches tall, leaving the base to regrow for a second cutting. For the best flavor, pick in the morning while leaves are crisp and tender. Regular cutting also helps delay bolting. If allowed to flower, cress produces small white blooms and can readily self-seed for a naturalized patch.
