Rorippa amphibia, commonly known as amphibious cress or marsh cress, is a perennial aquatic plant in the Brassicaceae family. Native to North America, it thrives in wetlands, marshes, and shallow water bodies such as ponds and streams.
The plant features a slender stem that can reach up to 60 cm in height. Its leaves are oblong or lance-shaped with toothed edges and are alternately arranged along the stem. The small flowers of Rorippa amphibia have four white petals arranged in a cross shape.
Amphibious cress is an important food source for waterfowl such as ducks and geese, and it provides habitat for aquatic insects like dragonflies and damselflies.
Beyond its ecological significance, Rorippa amphibia has been used for medicinal purposes by Native American tribes. They employed it as an herbal remedy for various ailments, including coughs, colds, sore throats, and headaches, among others.
Overall, Rorippa amphibia plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy wetland ecosystems and offers medicinal benefits, making it a valuable plant species both ecologically and culturally.
Botanical profile.
- Plant Type
- Herb
- Life Cycle
- Perennial
- Genus
- Rorippa
- Family
- Brassicaceae
- Hardiness Zone
- 5-9
- Mature Height
- 40 cm to 76 cm
- Mature Spread
- 20 cm to 49 cm
- Leaf Color
- Green, Dark Green
- Leaf Type
- Semi-evergreen
- Flower Color
- Yellow
- Flower Size
- 1.02 cm
- Bloom Time
- Late spring, Early summer, Mid summer
- Planting Time
- Spring
- Harvest Time
- Mid summer, Late summer, Early fall
- Native Area
- Turkey, Sweden, Austria, Slovakia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Croatia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Russia, Iraq, Germany, Estonia, Romania, Latvia, Belgium, Portugal, Netherlands, France, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Armenia, Poland, Greece, Ukraine, Serbia, Lithuania, Norway, Syria, Italy, Kazakhstan, Spain, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Iran, Albania, Ireland, United Kingdom, Hungary, Algeria, Azerbaijan
Other names.
