Tropaeolum Baby Orange - Dwarf Nasturtium Seeds

The Tropaeolum minus 'Baby Orange' is a variety of dwarf nasturtium ideal for pots, hanging baskets, and flower borders. With its dense and neat cushion, this charming little plant has bright orange flowers on dark green foliage. It maintains a tidy and upright appearance throughout the season. This variety was awarded at Fleuroselect in 2020 for its innovative qualities. Not very cold-resistant, this adorable nasturtium is grown as an annual in sunny locations and in moist soil.

The dwarf nasturtium, or Tropaeolum minus, is a frost-tender perennial plant native to the mountainous regions of Ecuador and Peru. It belongs to the Tropaeolaceae family, just like its close relative, the larger nasturtium Tropaeolum majus, also known as garden nasturtium. Many varieties of nasturtiums have been developed, including 'Baby Orange', a recently selected cultivar. In a single season, this plant forms a small bushy clump measuring 25 to 30 cm in height and 30 to 35 cm in width. The leaves of the nasturtium are composed of small round, peltate leaves with radiating veins, in a dark glaucous green color. It flowers from June to September-October, offering numerous small tubular flowers with 5 intense orange petals and white backs, sometimes slightly speckled or edged with white, and equipped with a spur. In our climates, this plant is mainly pollinated by bumblebees. After flowering, fruits form, containing seeds slightly smaller than peas, which are easy to sow.

Combine 'Baby Orange' nasturtium with Helenium, lavender, and perennial geraniums. A Blue Fescue Grass harmonizes with the color of its foliage. In the vegetable garden and orchard, it helps eliminate harmful insects. Its edible leaves and flowers can be added raw to salads, sauces, and mayonnaise. They have a pungent and aromatic flavor reminiscent of watercress. The flower buds and young fruits can also be pickled, providing an alternative to capers.

The nasturtium gets its vernacular name from the spur that its flowers possess, resembling the hood of a Capuchin friar's habit. It is a medicinal and aromatic plant.