SimplePlant

Brassicaceae

Watercress

Nasturtium officinale R.Br.

Family
Brassicaceae
Genus
Nasturtium

Pets and kids

  • CatsMildly toxic
  • DogsMildly toxic
  • KidsNot sure
Why

Cats: Mildly toxic

Mildly toxic to cats. Toxic principle: Gastrointestinal irritants.

Signs: vomiting, diarrhea.

Dogs: Mildly toxic

Mildly toxic to dogs. Toxic principle: Gastrointestinal irritants.

Signs: vomiting, diarrhea.

Kids: Not sure

We found no reliable source on this plant for young children, so we don't call it safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked with a doctor or poison control.

Watercress: Watercress ( Nasturtium officinale ), a water-loving plant that is used in salads and soups.
Photo: Masparasol, CC BY 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons

Is yours looking unwell? Scan your plant — free

Is Watercress safe for cats, dogs and kids?

Is Watercress safe for cats?

No. Our sources call Watercress mildly toxic to cats. Toxic principle: Gastrointestinal irritants. Signs: vomiting, diarrhea.

Is Watercress safe for dogs?

No. Our sources call Watercress mildly toxic to dogs. Toxic principle: Gastrointestinal irritants. Signs: vomiting, diarrhea.

Is Watercress safe for kids?

We found no reliable source on this plant for young children, so we don't call it safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked with a doctor or poison control.

Ate some? Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 (a fee may apply). For a child, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 (US). If they are struggling to breathe or collapse, call 911. Don't give anything by mouth unless a vet or poison expert tells you to.

See all cat-safe plants, dog-safe plants and child-safe plants.

Common names

By language (77)
Afrikaans
Bronkors, Brongras, Bronkhorstslaai, Sterkkos
Arabic
جرجير الماء, ابو خنجر, جرجار, حب الرشاد, حرف الماء, حرف طبي, حرف مائي, رشاد
Aragonese
Berro
Armenian
Ջրկոտեմ, Ջրային կոտեմ
arz
جرجير الميه
azb
بولاق اوْتو
Azerbaijani
Adi acıqıjı
Basque
Iturri-belar, Ur-berro
Belarusian
Кустоўнік лекавы, Вадзяны крэс, Кустаўнік
Bulgarian
Лечебна поточарка
Cantonese
西洋菜
Catalan
Creixen, Créixens, Cresson de Fontaine
Central Kurdish
کووزەڵە
Chinese
水芥菜, 西洋菜, 水甕菜, 水生菜, 水田芥, 水田芥菜, 水芥, 水芹菜
Croatian
Dragušac
Czech
Potočnice lékařská
Danish
Tykskulpet Brøndkarse
Dutch
Witte waterkers
English
Watercress, Water-cress, Yellowcress, Agnandrano
Esperanto
Akvokreso
Estonian
Ürt-allikkerss
Finnish
Isovesikrassi
French
Cresson de fontaine, Cresson des fontaines, Cresson officinal, Nastrutium officinale
Galician
Agrónda-água, Agrón
Georgian
Წყლის წიწმატი
German
Echte Brunnenkresse, Bachkresse, Brunnenkresse, Gemeine Brunnenkresse, Cresson de Fontaine, Kapuzinerkresse, Nastrutium officinale
Greek
Νεροκάρδαμο
gv
Burley
Haitian Creole
Kreson frans
Hebrew
גרגיר הנחלים, גרגר הנחלים
hsb
Lěkarska ropucha, Krěz
Hungarian
Orvosi vízitorma
Icelandic
Vætukarsi
Indonesian
Selada air
io
Kreso
Irish
Biolar uisce
Italian
Crescione d'acqua, Agretto, Allegretto, Arbuletta, Ascione, Erba da scorbuto, Gressa, Grisso
Japanese
オランダガラシ, クレソン, ミズガラシ
Javanese
Seladha banyu
kab
Gerninuc
Korean
물냉이
Kurdish
Tûzik, تووزک
kw
Beler dowr
Latvian
Ūdenskrese, Avotkrese, Avotu ķērsa, Avotu ūdenskrese
Lithuanian
Paprastasis rėžiukas, Cresson de Fontaine
Macedonian
Поточарка
Maithili
सिमसाग
Malagasy
Anandrano
mwl
Algrilhones
mzn
ئو تره
Nepali
सिमसाग
Norwegian Bokmål
Brønnkarse, Nasturitum officinale, Nasturitum officinalis
Norwegian Nynorsk
Engelskkarse
os
Хуымæтæджы басæг
Persian
آبتره, آب تره, اب تره, ابتره, بولاغ اوتی, شاهی آبی, علف چشمه
Polish
Rukiew wodna
Portuguese
Agrião, Agrião-da-água
Quechua
Ch'inkil
Romanian
Năsturel
Russian
Жеруха обыкновенная, Водяной кресс, Жеруха аптечная, Жеруха лекарственная, Кресс водяной
sco
Kerse
Scottish Gaelic
Biolar
Serbian
Поточарка
Slovak
Potočnica lekárska
Slovenian
Navadna vodna kreša, Bobovec, Brunkres, Divji hren, Draguša, Drezga, Korešca, Kresica
Southern Sotho
Kerese, Semetsing
Spanish
Mastuerzo de agua, Berro, Berro de agua, Nastrutium officinale
Sundanese
Saladah cai
Swedish
Källfräne, Källkrasse, Vattenkrasse, Cresson de Fontaine
Thai
วอเตอร์เครส
Turkish
Su teresi
Ukrainian
Настурція лікарська
Urdu
سلاد آبی
Vietnamese
Cải xoong
Welsh
Berw dŵ
wuu
西洋菜
zza
Tuzık

Synonyms

  • Arabis nasturtium [Clairv.]
  • Baeumerta nasturtium G.Gaertn., B.Mey. & Scherb.
  • Baeumerta nasturtium-aquaticum (L.) Hayek
  • Cardamine aquatica (Garsault) Nieuwl.
  • Cardamine fontana Lam.
  • Cardamine nasturtium Kuntze
  • Cardamine nasturtium-aquaticum Borbás
  • Cardaminum nasturtium Moench
  • Crucifera fontana E.H.L.Krause
  • Dictyosperma olgae Regel
  • Nasturtium alexandrinum Crantz
  • Nasturtium aquaticum Wahlenb.
  • Nasturtium flexuosum Seub.
  • Nasturtium fontanum Asch.
  • Nasturtium fontanum var. longisiliquum Irmisch
  • Nasturtium nasturtium-aquaticum H.Karst.
  • Nasturtium officinale subsp. rotundifolium A.P.Khokhr.
  • Nasturtium officinale var. officinale
  • Nasturtium parvifolium (Peterm.) H.W.Howard & Manton
  • Nasturtium siifolium Rchb.
  • Nasturtium siifolium Phil.
  • Pirea olgae (Regel) T.Durand ex Prantl
  • Radicula nasturtium (Thunb.) Cav.
  • Radicula nasturtium Druce
  • Radicula nasturtium-aquaticum Britten & Rendle
  • Radicula officinalis Groves
  • Rorippa nasturtium Beck
  • Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum (L.) Hayek
  • Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum var. longisiliqua (Irmisch) B.Boivin
  • Rorippa officinalis (R.Br.) P.Royen
  • Sisymbrium amarum Salisb.
  • Sisymbrium fluviatile Vell.
  • Sisymbrium nasturtium (Moench) Willd.
  • Sisymbrium nasturtium-aquaticum L.

Characteristics

Growth habit
Forb/herb
Lifespan
Perennial
In the US and Canada
Alaska: introduced, Canada: introduced, Lower 48 states: introduced, Puerto Rico: introduced, St. Pierre and Miquelon: introduced, U.S. Virgin Islands: introduced

Photos

More in Nasturtium

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.