About
Barbarea verna is a biennial plant that forms a rosette of dark green leaves with deep lobes, making it a viable alternative to watercress. During the spring or summer of its second year, it generates upright stems adorned with clusters of small, yellow flowers that each have four petals.
About the genus
Barbarea comprises both biennial and perennial species, characterized by simple or pinnately divided foliage. These plants produce small flowers with four petals, which can be yellow or white, and are succeeded by elongated seed pods.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil type
- Clay, Loam
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained, Poorly-drained
- Aspect
- East-facing, South-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Exposed, Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H7
Plant details
- Plant type
- Annual Biennial
- Habit
- Bushy
- Foliage
- Semi evergreen
- Height
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Spread
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 1-2 years
- Suggested uses
- Cottage and informal garden
- Native to
- SW Europe
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow in moist soil in full sun or semi shade. Can be cropped virtually all year by staggering sowing dates
- Pruning
- No pruning required
- Propagation
- Propagate by seed sown thinly in seed trays or small pots. Plant outdoors when large enough to handle (around 10" (25cm) in height) in rows 12" (30cm) apart
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to flea beetle
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free