Tropaeolum Baby Rose - Nasturtium

The Tropaeolum minus 'Baby Rose' is a new variety of dwarf nasturtium that will make a splash in flower pots, hanging baskets, and flower borders. This generous little plant forms a dense, well-groomed cushion, adorned with vibrant pink-red flowers that shine against its dark green foliage. Not very hardy, this adorable little nasturtium is grown as an annual in our climates, in full sun and in ordinary but moist soil. 'Baby Rose', excellent in every way, has received the gold medal from Fleuroselect for 2020.

The dwarf nasturtium, in Latin Tropaeolum minus, is a tender perennial plant endemic to the mountainous regions of Ecuador and Peru. It belongs to the Tropaeolaceae family, just like its close relative, the garden nasturtium or large nasturtium Tropaeolum majus. It has given rise to many varieties, including 'Baby Rose', a cultivar recently selected in Japan by the Takii company. The plant forms a small bushy clump of 25-30 cm (10-12in) in height and 30-35 cm (12-14in) in width in one season. It blooms from June to September-October, producing numerous small tubular flowers with 5 petals, intense magenta pink in colour with white reverses, sometimes lightly speckled or edged with white, and equipped with a spur. In our climates, it is mainly bumblebees that pollinate this plant. The flowering is followed by the formation of fruits containing seeds slightly smaller than peas, which are easy to sow. The foliage is composed of small round, peltate leaves with radiating veins, of a dark glaucous green.

Plant this Baby Rose nasturtium in borders, rockeries, flower pots, or even in hanging baskets, and you will surprise your visitors. Its combination with intense blue lobelias Hot Water Blue and Diamond Frost euphorbia, or even Pennisetum x advena Rubrum fountain grass, will create a sensation in a large planter. In the vegetable garden and orchard, it will help you eliminate pests harmful to your other crops while bringing a lot of freshness and cheerfulness to its humble companions. Nasturtium finds its way into the kitchen, where its leaves and flowers can be added raw to salads, sauces, and mayonnaise. They have a spicy and aromatic flavor reminiscent of watercress. Flower buds and young fruits are sometimes preserved in vinegar, providing a substitute for 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.

Note: Please be aware that our young plug plants are professional products reserved for experienced gardeners. Upon receipt, transplant them as soon as possible, either in flower pots, containers, or directly in flower beds.