A freely branching herbaceous perennial, it creeps or floats in or near water. The plant roots readily at the nodes. The dark green leaves are smooth, and irregularly oblong in shape with a red-purple tint. The upper 30-40 cm portions of the hollow branching stems and associated leaves are normally eaten. The tender green tips arethe best.
Raw shoots are quite peppery.
In the Orient, it is used mostly in soups but may be used boiled or fried with meat. The soup is believed to clear phlegm from the respiratory system and to cleanse and cool the blood. It can also be used in salads or in sandwiches. Watercress is known to be rich in vitamins and proteins. The survey of the Melbourne retail prices were conducted from March 1995 to July 1996.