Is this watercress?

[MsChatterbox]

Hi,

My son has bought a plant home from preschool. He's determined its going to grow a purple flower. I think it looks like watercress and want to explain to him if it is so he is not waiting for weeks for a flower that won't come. Can you please help!

Hard to tell if it's watercress but if it is it will flower but the flowers are white.

I did not know watercress flowers!! Thank you!

Not an expert at all but don't think it looks like watercress or standard cress...

You never know!

Oh bless him! This is where in a week, you find a purple flower on another plant, poke it into the pot before he wakes up in the morning and say “oh look it flowered!” 😂

I really like this idea 😂

It’s definitely not watercress. It could be normal cress but the leaves aren’t clear enough on the photos

You don't need to explain anything, just wait and see what happens - why are you wanting to explain to him in advance? I would just say to him we wait and see, be honest that you don't know.

He has some additional needs and does a lot better if he knows what is to come!

I obviously defer to the additional needs as every kid is different and you are the expert in your child but presumably he will have situations where this is not possible, is there no possibility that experiencing that in small ways will be helpful for him? This is what gardening is quite good for teaching kids, that sometimes it doesn't bloody work!

But of course not every kid responds the same.

Its true, I probably shield him too much from uncertainty to save the drama!

I would guess its one of these microgreens that grow fast - used in salads etc. and who knows what flower it might produce.
Ask the school.

This looks like my honesty seedlings which do have a purple flower but in the 2nd year. Can he describe the seeds they planted to you, honesty seeds are like papery coins?

I have just put the picture into my plant ID ap and it says this

PlantNet app will identify it for you

I'm far from a plant expert, but Morrisons we're giving away free purple cornflower seeds with your shop a few weeks ago. Could it be that the school have used these?

Just to say, it it was grown from seed, those first two leaves you can see now are the seed leaves or cotyledons - the "true" leaves come next and you'll have a much better chance of identifying the plant once these are through. The seed leaves look basically the same on most plants - there are either one leaf or two but they are v simple. The plants true leaves will have more variation

Papery coins is the seed pod. The actual seeds are very dark, small, slightly angular seeds. I remember collecting them as a kid

And yes, you need the second leaves to come through, could be anything right now.

I doubt it's watercress though. That grows in water!

You can’t tell at the moment because it only has the seed leaves or cotyledons. These are basic temporary leaves to keep the plant going while it gets it act together to produce true leaves. Cotyledons, with few exceptions, are either roundish or strap-like. Post again when you have true leaves - you can see them ready to appear on the seedling in the centre.

It’s talking complete rubbish for the reason given by @Pattygonia

Not on the basis of seed leaves it won’t. Though since it has no botanical knowledge, it may go ahead and try to find a match with a plant whose real leaves are rounded and come up with the completely wrong answer which it will then present to you as truth.

Thank you everyone. I'm learning so much!!

Another question.... Does it look like there's too much in there for the size of the pot? When do I need to think about moving it?

Yes, there is. When they have all got their true leaves you “prick them out”, ie either plant them well spaced out in a big seed tray or in their own separate pots. At this stage the stems are still very fragile so hold them by the bunch of leaves at the top, not by the stem. Gently flex the pot to loosen the soil, tip them out all out gently, then gently tease them apart.

start collecting yogurt tubs if you’re short of pots, and use the tip of a stout pair of scissors to jab a hole in the bottom of each so that water doesn’t collect

Great thank you!

Hopefully I did that right