Cress is any one of three green plants in the mustard family. They are used in salads and to garnish meats. The best-known cress plant is called water cress because it grows in water in sandy creek bottoms. It has smooth, bright-green leaves on long slender stems. Garden cress, or peppergrass, has a sharper taste than water cress. It grows in the Midwest. Swedish cress, sometimes called upland cress or winter cress, grows in Sweden. It is served as a vegetable there.
Water cress may be raised as a winter crop in greenhouses. It grows best in running water. Garden cress is usually planted in the early spring and harvested about six or seven weeks later. The cresses are rich in minerals, but are usually eaten in too small amounts to provide much food value.
