Flower profile
Garden nasturtium
Tropaeolum majus
Garden nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) is a vine in the Tropaeolaceae family, introduced in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly April–September across the U.S.
Garden nasturtium is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as introduced in the lower 48 states. In California it's most often seen in bloom in April–July.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: California
Quick look
Tropaeolum majus, the garden nasturtium, nasturtium, Indian cress or monk's cress, is a species of flowering plant in the family Tropaeolaceae. An annual or a short-lived perennial with disc-shaped leaves and brilliant yellow, orange or red flowers, it is of cultivated, probably hybrid origin. It is not closely related to the genus Nasturtium.
- It belongs to the Tropaeolaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) / a vine with a annual, perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced in the lower 48 states and records it in 7 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as not native to California. NatureServe
- In California, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–July. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 14,688 research-grade sightings of it in California, ranking #49 among the 178 flowers on our California list. iNaturalist
When does it bloom?
In California, most flowering sightings come in April–July.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- GNR Not yet ranked worldwide. NatureServe
- California
- Not listed Not on California state-listed endangered, threatened and rare plants (14 CCR § 670.2), per CDFW's CNDDB list (July 2026). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in California. CNDDB listed plants (July 2026)
- Rare elsewhere
- No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
NC State Extension notes: “All parts, with exception of the roots, are edible. It has a spicy flavor.” NC State Extension
ASPCA's entry “Nasturtium” (Tropaeolum majus) lists it as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Eating lots of any plant can still upset a pet's stomach. ASPCA
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records garden nasturtium in 7 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia.
California counties with USDA records: Alameda, Los Angeles, Marin, Mendocino, Monterey, Orange, San Diego, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Sonoma, Ventura.
Names, range and relatives
Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Hawaii: Introduced; Lower 48 states: Introduced; Pacific Basin (excluding Hawaii): Introduced; Puerto Rico: Introduced.
County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 26 counties across 6 states; the most are in California (15), Hawaii (4), Pennsylvania (3).
More California flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile TRMA7.
- iNaturalist, Tropaeolum majus: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Tropaeolum majus (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- California: California state-listed endangered, threatened and rare plants (14 CCR § 670.2), per CDFW's CNDDB list (July 2026).
- California: California noxious weed species (3 CCR § 4500).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Tropaeolum majus (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension; ASPCA.
- Photo: vultur-cadens via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.