Flower of the week: Nasturtium

This week’s flower has been doing quite well with all the rain we’ve had in the Bay Area. Nasturtiums are growing madly all across Golden Gate Park and in the parking area of my apartment building.

Here is a little history lesson: Nasturtiums are native to Central and South America. According to Alice Fomiga: “The name nasturtium comes from the Latin words for nose (nas), and tortum (twist), referring to a persons’s’ reaction upon tasting the spicy, bittersweet leaves.” Nasturtiums grew in Thomas Jefferson’s garden and were used to combat scurvy. In Victorian times, the nasturtium signified “victory in battle” or “conquest. This plant is edible with the roots used as food in the Andeas, the seeds pickled as capers and the leaves and flowers used in salads.