About
Upright spikes of sweet-scented pink, mauve, purple, violet or white flowers, up to 2.5cm across, are produced in late spring and early summer. A woody-based perennial, sometimes short-lived, with narrow, grey-green foliage. Many cultivars of this species are grown as annual or biennial bedding plants, or for cut flowers.
About the genus
Matthiola can be annuals, perennials or subshrubs, with simple or lobed leaves and dense terminal racemes or panicles of fragrant, 4-petalled flowers
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun
Soil typeChalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAlkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained
AspectWest-facing, South-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH4
Plant details
Plant typeHerbaceous Perennial
HabitBushy
FoliageDeciduous
Height0.5-1 metres
Spread0.1-0.5 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesCity and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden, Patio and container plants, Wildlife gardens
FragranceFlower
Care notes
CultivationGrow in a sunny, sheltered bed where the soil is well-drained and neutral to slightly alkaline
PruningCut back after flowering
PropagationPropagate by seed sown in gentle heat in early spring or sow in midsummer and protect young plants over winter
Pest resistanceSusceptible to aphids, flea beetles and cabbage root fly
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to club root, downy mildews, root rot and a virus