While Tropaeolum majus is an ornament of beauty, it bears not just showy blooms, but useful leaves and fruits as well. This plant, often called garden nasturtium or less formally nasturtium, hails from South America. There, within modern-day Peru and Bolivia, Tropaeolum majus originated. Though requiring not much care when grown in gardens or containers, nasturtiums do prefer a sunny spot with well-drained soil. These plants reach merely 12 inches tall at most, spreading as they grow. The round leaves lend a peppery tang when added to salads or used as garnish. Then come the vibrant flowers in sunset hues of orange, yellow, and red. Unique in form, each has five petals and a neat spur behind. Once pollinated, the blooms give way to little round fruits with a slightly spicy bite. Beyond beauty, Tropaeolum majus has symbolized victory, courage, and patriotism. For these attributes, gardeners have prized nasturtiums for generations.
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