Edible uses
Leaves - raw. A hot watercress flavour. Very nice on its own or as a flavouring in mixed salads. Rich in vitamin C. The leaves are available from early summer until the first frosts of the autumn.
Flowers - raw. A very ornamental and tasty addition to the salad bowl, the flowers have a hot watercress flavour and are available all through the summer. The flowers contain about 130mg vitamin C per 100g.
Young seed pods - raw. These are even hotter than the flowers or leaves. They can also be harvested whilst immature and pickled for use as a caper substitute.
Seed - raw or cooked. Very hot. The mature seed can be ground into a powder and used as a pepper substitute. The seed contains 26% protein and 10% oil.