Tropaeolum Baby Red - Nasturtium

Tropaeolum 'Baby Red' is a variety of dwarf nasturtium ideal for pots, hanging baskets, rockeries, and flower borders. This charming little plant forms a dense and neat cushion of dark green rounded foliage, adorned with scarlet red flowers, creating a lovely contrast. It maintains a neat and upright appearance throughout the season. This variety was awarded at Fleuroselect in 2023 for its innovative qualities. Not very cold-resistant, this adorable nasturtium is grown as an annual in sunny locations and moist soil.

The dwarf nasturtium, or Tropaeolum minus, is a 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 Red', a cultivar recently selected by Takii Company in Japan. In just one season, this plant forms a small bushy clump measuring 25 to 30 cm (10 to 12in) high and 30 to 35 cm (12 to 14in) wide. Nasturtium leaves are composed of small round peltate leaves with radiating veins, in a dark glaucous green. It flowers from June to September-October with numerous small tubular flowers with 5 intense red petals and white backs, sometimes lightly speckled or edged with white, and equipped with a spur. In our climates, this plant is mainly pollinated by bumblebees. After flowering, It forms fruits containing seeds slightly smaller than peas, which are easy to sow.

Pair 'Baby Red' nasturtium with Helenium, lavender, and perennial geraniums. Blue fescue grass harmonises with the colour 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 flavour reminiscent of watercress. The flower buds and young fruits can also be preserved in vinegar, providing an alternative to capers.

The nasturtium gets its common name from the spur on its flowers, resembling the hood of the habit worn by Capuchin monks. It is a medicinal and aromatic plant.