What is this plant with almost round leaves with radial veins?

Question

Okay so I went away for Summerfest and I was under the impression that I was growing parsley and cilantro, but then I googled pictures and It doesn't look like either.

What did I grow?

Answer 1

That's a Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus), identified by its almost round leaves with the stems joining the leaves slightly off center, and the pronounced radial veins. Some cultivars are trailing and work well in hanging baskets, some are bushier and are useful in garden beds.

The seed is a light grey color, spherical and wrinkled; i could see how it might be confused with a cilantro seed, though Nasturtium seeds are generally larger. Parsley seed is very different, being much smaller, striped and almost a crescent shape.

It's a flowering annual, with brightly colored flowers in a range in yellow, orange and red. Leaves and flowers are edible, with a flavor like watercress. They flower best if you don't fertilize it. They will also reseed themselves if allowed to.

Answer 2

By the way, they're very edible. Both the leaves and flowers can be used in salads, and even the seed pods can be pickled as a sort of caper. They are peppery, like cress (in Dutch, they're called East Indian cress - incorrectly, as they're American).
They're easy to grow (even I can do it...), but depending on your location might not survive the winter.