Nasturtium (Tropaeolum) is one of the easiest flowers to grow because its flowers are edible. Adding to that, nasturtium adds a peppery flavor to salads, so also the buds are lovely garnishes for soups and drinks. Nasturtiums come in two varieties, namely, Tropaeolum major and Tropaolum major.
The former has a trailing growth habit, while the latter has a more compact plant with lateral bushy growth. Furthermore, nasturtiums make a great companion plant for a number of vegetables due to their pest–repelling properties. Nasturtiums also serve as a trap crop for several pests and attract beneficial insects that keep bad bugs under control.
25 Nasturtiums Companion Plants
Nasturtium benefits other plants by attracting pollinators and providing ground cover, while its companion plants provide benefits such as partial shade and soil nitrogen.
1. Broccoli
Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var.Italica) are enemies of cabbage worms and cabbage moths. Rather than using chemical sprays on this plant, seed nasturtium flowers at the base of the broccoli plants in each row.
Broccoli grows stronger with nasturtiums when interplanted, as they will act as a trap crop for pests like aphids. The pests will feed on the nasturtiums while ignoring your broccoli plants.
Popular Varieties: Belstar, Calabrese, Destiny, DiCicco, Eastern Magic, Green Magic, Purple Sprouting, and Romanesco
2. Cabbage
Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) belongs to the same family as Broccoli. Cabbage is rich in nutrients and vitamins, suitable for the immune system. It also lowers blood pressure, and can improve heart health. Nasturtiums will draw harmful cabbage moths while saving your tender cabbage, and they will also attract hoverflies and other beneficial insects that dine on aphids.
Popular Varieties: Brunswick, Earliana, Golden Acre, January King, Late Flat Dutch, Mammoth Red Rock, and Red Acre.
3. Clover
Clover (Trifolium) is an herbaceous perennial plant in the bean family Fabaceae. Clover is mainly cultivated to provide pasture or to protect the soil, and it may be harvested and used as forage, hay, or silage. Clover tolerates shade, repeated mowing, and field traffic, making it well-suited to use as a cover crop.
Popular Varieties: Strawberry clover, Red clover, White clover
4. Cauliflower
Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) and nasturtiums are ideal combinations that grow well when planted together. They both attract aphids and white cabbage butterflies. Cauliflower takes up a bit of space, thrives in rich deep soil, and needs plenty of watering, especially in summer, but it can be grown all year round.
Popular Varieties: Attribute Hybrid, Cheddar Hybrid, Depurple Hybrid, Fioretto 85, Flame Star Hybrid, Graffiti Hybrid, Snowball, Self-Blanching
5. Kale
Kale (Brassica oleracea var. sabellica) is an excellent companion plant for nasturtiums. Kale belongs to the Brassica family, and like every other member, weeds are their common enemy because of the nutrients and moisture they draw from the soil.
Nasturtiums will attract predatory and parasitic insects, including hoverflies which will reduce the amount of aphids attack. Kale also adds a bit of aesthetics to your flower beds or garden.
Popular Varieties: Black Magic, Dazzling Blue, Dwarf Siberian, Premier
6. Zucchini
Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo) is another great companion for your nasturtiums that is extremely beneficial. Zucchini is high in nutrients, antioxidants, and vitamins and is suitable for a healthy heart, blood sugar levels, healthy weight loss, and much more.
Popular Varieties: Black Beauty, Green Machine, Dunja, Spineless Perfection, Easy Pick Gold II. Round Zucchini and Eight Ball.
7. Radishes
Radishes (Raphanus sativus) are one of the best root vegetables you can use as companion plants. They are high in nutrients, calcium, potassium, and antioxidants and promote good heart health and lower blood pressure. One significant benefit of radishes as a nasturtium companion plant is that they take up plenty of nutrients from the soil, which is okay with nasturtium, which doesn’t do well in richer soils.
Popular Varieties: French Breakfast, IIka, Mirabeau, Stela, Pium Purple, Rougette, Scarlet Globe, and Tarzan
8. Squash
Squash (Cucurbita ) is the top companion plant for your nasturtium plants. Squash improves heart health and weight and increases strength, fitness, and agility.
Nasturtiums are excellent for repelling squash bugs and cucumber beetles, and they can also serve as trap crops for attracting aphids or squash bugs. Squash grows around 3 feet high and wide, so you’ll only need to add one or two depending on the shape or size of your garden bed.
Popular Varieties: Courgettes, Costata Romanesco, Patty Pan, straight neck squash, crookneck squash, Zephyr squash, Tatume squash, and Tromboncino squash.
9. Tomatoes
Tomatoes (Solanum Lycopersicum) can be planted in your nasturtium garden to boost the overall health of your garden. As an added benefit, tomatoes give the nasturtium flowers a little shade and a cooler environment.
Plant the nasturtiums away from the stems of the tomato plants. By doing that, pests like aphids will go for the nasturtiums before they go for the tomatoes.
Popular Varieties: Big Beef, Big Boy, Independence day, Jersey and Juliet.
10. Potatoes
Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) is one of the 150 tuber-bearing specie of the genus Solanum. Each leaf is 20-30 cm and consists of terminal leaflets and two to four pairs of leaflets. The stems extend into structures called stolons and can enlarge to form a few tubers of variable shapes and sizes.
Potatoes’ broad bushy plants make great companions for nasturtiums in the garden and beds you plant to turn over at the end of the seasons. On the other hand, nasturtiums act as attractive sacrificial plant luring predatory pests such as aphids and potato beetle away from the potato crop.
Popular Varieties: Arran Pilot, Cara, Charlotte, Pink Fir Apple, Sarpo Mira, Maris Piper, Rooster, and Maris Peer
11. Apples
Apples (Malus Domestica) are a popular fruit with multiple health benefits. Apples grow best in winter, with moderate summer temperatures and medium to high humidity.
They are moderately fast-growing and can grow from 10 to 30 feet tall and nearly as wide. Planting apples with nasturtiums can help deter coddling moths from infesting the trees. It also acts as a sacrificial plant to lure the coddling moth away from the fruit.
Popular Varieties: Honeycrisp, Red Delicious, Empire, Braeburn, Cortland, Jonagold, Pink Lady
12. Beans
Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) is a common name for edible plant seeds or seed pods of several legume family members. Beans thrive best at temperatures between 15.5 and 29 degrees Celsius and can grow well in well-draining soil with a pH between 6.0 and 6.75.
Nasturtiums make a good companion plant for beans and act as a sacrificial crop to lure aphids away. The flowers of nasturtiums also attract beneficial predators that can help deal with the aphids.
Popular Varieties: snap bush beans, bush yellow beans, lima beans, soybeans, and shell beans
13. Carrots
Carrots (Daucus carota) are versatile vegetables widely grown in spring, summer, and fall. Nasturtiums and carrots make a great combination.
Nasturtiums repel carrot root flies, aphids, cucumber beetles, and other pests. They also provide carrots with a living mulch that helps to keep the ground moist.
Popular Varieties: Danvers, White carrots, Purple carrots, Yellow carrots
14. Celery
Celery (Apium graveolens) is an herb and vegetable member of the parsley family. Celery seeds are tiny and easy to plant, and the leaves are used as herbs and make a tasty addition to soups. Nasturtiums can be used as a sacrificial plant to lure aphids away from celery.
Popular Varieties: Monterey, Golden Pascal, Conquistador, Nan Ling Cutting, Tall Utah.
15. Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea Gongylodes Group), also known as German turnip or cabbage turnip, is a bulbous vegetable not widely grown commercially but is popular in some regions as a Kitchen garden vegetable. Kohlrabi takes up to 55 days to mature after the seeds germinate. Planting Nasturtiums with kohlrabi can help support the plants’ quality.
Popular Varieties: Korist, Delicacy White, Azur Star, Blauer Speck, Early White Vienna, Kossak
16. Pumpkins
Pumpkins (Cucurbita) are members of the gourd family, which includes cucumbers, honeydew melons, watermelons, and zucchini. They are high in nutrients, antioxidants, and vitamins and may promote healthy weight loss.
Pumpkins can range from less than one pound to more than 1,000 pounds. Pumpkins are a great companion plant for nasturtiums because they do not get much taller than a foot but stretch up to 20 feet long.
Popular Varieties: Casper, Cherokee Bush, Cinderella, Cushaw Green-Striped, Dill’s Atlantic, Fairytale, Jarrahdale, and Musquee De Provence.
17. Spinach
Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is one of the leafy greens that serve as a good nasturtium companion plant. Spinach is high in vitamins, minerals, calcium, iron, and folate that strengthen the immune systems. The pungent smell of nasturtiums attracts aphids away from the spinach plants.
Popular Varieties: Acadia, Baby’s Leaf, Bloomsdale, Butterfly, Carmel, Hammerhead, Harmony, Kolibri, and Viroflay
18. Eggplant
Eggplant (Solanum melongena), aubergine, or brinjal is a species in the nightshade family Solanaceae. It is a perennial crop grown commercially annually, and the unripe fruit is cooked as a vegetable.
When planted together, nasturtium acts as a ground cover to prevent weeds from germinating. It also acts as a trap crop that keeps aphids away from your eggplant.
Popular Varieties: Indian Eggplant, 7. Japanese Eggplant, Little Green Eggplant, Fairy Tale Eggplant, Chinese Eggplant.
You might want to check out: 20 Eggplant Companion Plants
19. Melons
Melons (Cucumis melo) are essential plants grown primarily for their fruit which generally has a sweet aromatic flavor. Melons are rich in nutrients, good for blood sugar, skin, and digestive system, and reduce blood pressure.
Melons grow a couple of feet tall but stretch up to 4 or 5 feet long. When planted together, nasturtium’s strong odor deters chewing insects that plague the melon plants.
Popular Varieties: Cantaloupe, watermelon, and honeydew
20. Cucumbers
Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) can improve the flavor and growth of nasturtiums when planted together. However, the nasturtium can compete with cucumbers if they are both allowed to grow along the ground. Therefore, providing your cucumbers with a vertical trellis is best, while the nasturtium plant remains a ground cover.
Popular Varieties: Burpless, Bush, Asley, Dasher, Diva, Fanfare, Earlypride, and Long Green Improved.
21. Marigolds
Marigolds (Tagetes) are cheerful, brilliantly colored annuals that are favorite summer flowers for borders and pots. Growing marigolds and nasturtium in your vegetable garden helps control insects and add beauty to your garden. The pungent smell of marigold flowers discourages aphids from hanging around to feast on your nasturtium plant.
Popular Varieties: Hawaii, Mary Helen, Moonlight, Orange Flame, Phyllis, Mandarin, Lemon Drop
22. Wildflowers
Wildflowers are magnificent plants that grow in the wild without intentional seedlings. The term generally applies to plants growing without intentional human aid and those flowering in spring and summer in woodlands, prairies, and mountains.
Some wildflowers varieties include Daisies, Bee Balm, Queen Anne’s Lace, Lupine, and Black-Eyed Susan. Wildflowers attract beneficial insect predators such as birds, ladybugs, and beneficial wasps, which naturally prevent pests.
Popular Varieties: Purple Coneflower, Bellflower, Lady’s Bedstraw
23. Zinnia
Zinnia (Zinnia spp) is an annual plant that belongs to the family Asteraceae. Zinnias can withstand some of the worst growing conditions but will thrive best in full sun. Zinnias attract beneficial pollinators to your nasturtium plants.
Popular Varieties: Peppermint Sick, State Fair Mix, Swizzle Ivory and Cherry, Cinderella Lilac, Zowie Yellow Flame
24. Raspberries
Raspberries (Rubus idaeus) are another excellent nasturtium companion plant that grows well when planted with nasturtium. Raspberry is delicious food for squash bugs, and they suck its juice, ripping off raspberry of its nutrients. Growing nasturtiums a few inches away from your raspberry plant will help deter some of these bugs.
Popular Varieties: Everbearing, Cascade delight, Raspberry shortcake, Fall, Heritage
25. Sage
Sage (Salvia officinalis) is one of the aromatic herbs that can’t repel pests but can attract whiteflies which can be controlled by planting nasturtium in your garden.
Popular Varieties: South African Sage, Grapefruit sage, Greek sage, Pineapple sage, Common sage, Clary sage
Plants To Avoid Planting With Nasturtium
Nasturtiums are ideal companion plants to most plants, and they are good additions to your shrubs because they add more color to your garden. However, not all plants can benefit from nasturtium. Here are some of the plant (s) you should avoid growing near nasturtiums.
Fennel
Fennel is not an ideal companion to quite a number of plants. Growing fennels with nasturtium flowers will stunt their growth. Therefore, avoid planting them close to each other.