Watercress

Watercress is believed to be native to Asia Minor and to the Mediterranean area. As with most ancient plants, various myths and beliefs became attached to it. The ancient Persians were advised to feed it to their children if they wished to improve their growth. Since green leafy vegetables are excellent sources of vitamins and minerals, the advice probably was good. Xenophon, general and historian of the Green-Persian campaigns and Xerxes, Persian king, recommended watercress for their soldiers in the belief it would improve their health. The Greeks century writers of England recommended watercress as a remedy for scurvy, and they were right. Aside from the health idea, the Romans certainly had a good basis for serving watercress as a salad with garum (oil and vinegar) or with pepper, cumin seed and lentiscus (leaves of the mastic tree).
            An enterprising German, Nicholas Messinger, is reported as the first to cultivate watercress, in the middle of the 16th century at Erfurt. As popular as it is in England, it probably was not cultivated prior to 1800. It is reported that in 1808 a farmer near London began its cultivation for use as a salad plant. Watercress is highly prized by the Mohammedans of western India and Pakistan.
            It is not known when it was brought to this hemisphere but probably by early explorers. It quickly became naturalized and wide spread.