Grená Park, with its springs and streams, is home to a remarkable community of aquatic and wetland plants. Among them, three species stand out for their beauty, ecological role, and cultural value: Apium nodiflorum (Fool’s Watercress), Colocasia esculenta (Taro), and Nasturtium officinale (Watercress).

Apium nodiflorum, known as Fool’s Watercress, is a perennial plant from the Apiaceae family that thrives in shallow, slow-flowing waters. It produces clusters of delicate white flowers and has hollow stems and pinnate leaves. Traditionally, it was used as a medicinal herb, particularly as a diuretic thanks to its high vitamin C content. Ecologically, it signals clean water and helps stabilize stream banks while providing habitat for aquatic insects.

Colocasia esculenta, commonly known as taro, is a semi‑aquatic plant with impressive heart‑shaped leaves. A member of the Araceae family, taro is one of the oldest cultivated crops and its starchy tubers have been a staple food across tropical regions for millennia. The plant must be cooked before consumption to neutralize calcium oxalate crystals found in its leaves and corms. In Grená’s wetlands, taro flourishes along streams and springs, bringing an exotic, tropical character to the landscape.

Nasturtium officinale, or watercress, is a fast-growing aquatic plant from the Brassicaceae family. It forms dense mats in clear, cold water and is easily identified by its small rounded leaves with a peppery flavor. Cultivated since ancient times, watercress has been prized as both food and medicine. Rich in antioxidants and vitamins, it has been studied for potential health benefits, including anti-inflammatory properties. In Grená, it helps filter water and provides feeding grounds for amphibians and insects.