Menu Close

What is the difference between watercress and upland cress?

What is the difference between watercress and upland cress?

As for upland cress, it isn’t actually watercress at all, but rather a watercress look-alike. Usually sold with the roots still attached, upland cress has the same flavor and nutrient density as watercress, but its stems and leaves are thinner and more tender, like baby watercress.

How do you use upland cress?

For the simplest preparation, use upland cress the same way you would watercress. Left raw, the leaves can be chopped and mixed into a sald, tucked into a sandwich, or strewn over broiled fish as a garnish.

How quickly does cress grow?

The true leaves of cress are feathery and divided and plants grow to around six inches high in about four weeks. Leave it longer and it will begin to go to seed, but if this happens don’t just throw them out.

Can watercress be bad for you?

Watercress is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken by mouth in amounts used in medicine, short-term. When it is used long-term or in very large amounts, watercress is POSSIBLY UNSAFE and can cause damage to the stomach.

How do you eat a cress plant?

Cress Serving Suggestions

  1. Use raw garden cress or watercress to lend a peppery flavor to salads and sandwiches.
  2. Cook cress as you would spinach.
  3. Purée cress to make a chilled soup.
  4. Blend cress with scallions, yogurt or buttermilk and serve with salmon.

Is watercress good for lungs?

Isothiocyanates found in watercress have been shown to prevent colon, lung, prostate and skin cancers ( 9 , 10 , 14 , 15 ). Additionally, research demonstrates that the isothiocyanates and sulforaphane found in watercress suppress the growth of breast cancer cells ( 16 , 17 ).

What can you do with an upland cress plant?

The plants are cultivated for their edible, sharp tasting leaves which are small and somewhat square in shape with a slight serration of the leaf margins. Looking and tasting very much like watercress only with a stronger peppery flavor, upland cress is used in salads or in herb mixes.

What’s the difference between upland cress and watercress?

There are many names for upland or land cress plants. Amongst these are: In the southeastern states, you’ll see/hear this plant referred to as: In that region, growing upland cress can often be found growing as a weed. Although similar in taste and growth habit, land cress is much easier to grow vs. watercress.

How long does it take for upland cress to grow?

When the seedlings are large enough, thin them to 4 inches (10 cm.) apart. Keep the plants well watered and wait patiently for seven to eight weeks until upland cress harvesting time.

What kind of food is Upland Cress made of?

Today Upland cress is predominately cooked in the south rather than used topically for wounds and is stewed with ham hocks, similarly to collard greens, and is served with black-eyed peas and cornbread. Upland cress is native to Southwestern Europe and has been cultivated since the 17th century in England.