Guide to growing Annual Nasturtium - Annual Tropaeolum

Plants that belong to the Tropaeolum genus may be annual or perennial; this section deals with how to grow hardy annual Tropaeolum; go here for information on planting Perennial Tropaeolum.

Some of the common names for Tropaeolum include Nasturtium, Scottish flame flower, Empress of India, Indian Cress and Canary Creeper.

Tropaeolum comes into bloom from summer to autumn and carry trumpet shaped flowers, these are a little unusual due to having long spurs; the flowers may be orange, red or yellow.

How to grow Nasturtium

It is best to sow Nasturtium seeds in their final location, whether this be in a container, or in the garden itself; do this about a week after the last frost. The seeds should be sown at a depth of about 6mm into a slightly acidic soil, that is moist and has good drainage. Nasturtium likes to grow in an area of the garden that is sunny. Depending on the species annual Tropaeolum should be spaced at 20cm (small), 35cm (medium sized) or 60 to 90cm (large Tropaeolum).

Caring for Nasturtium

Annual Tropaeolum species such as Nasturtium and Canary creeper are climbers so supply a trellis or similar that they can grow on. They like moist soil so keep well watered. They should not be fertilized as this results in poorer flowering. If you require more plants then Tropaeolum can be propagated by taking cuttings.