- Botanical name: Hesperis matronalis
- Common name: Sweet rocket
- Family: Brassicaceae
- Plant Type: Biennial
Purple
White
Green
- Key features:
- Attractive to wildlife
- Flowers
Sweet rocket, Hesperis matronalis, is a pretty annual, bearing white or purple flowers similar to honesty. A packet of sweet rocket seeds is likely to produce flowers varying in colour from deep rich purple, through all the paler lilac shades to white – leave them to seed themselves and they will maintain this diversity indefinitely, gradually naturalising over a large area.
The flowers’ fragrance is as sweet as a violet’s, and most pronounced in the evening. It looks good when allowed to drift, naturally through an informal sunny or partially shaded border, especially in a cottage garden or wildlife garden scheme.
Sow Hesperis matronalis seed in late-spring where you want it to flower. Deadhead spent blooms to prolong flowering, but allow some flowers to develop seeds so plants can self-seed around the garden.
How to grow Hesperis matronalis
-
Plant size
100cm height
45cm spread
-
Aspect
North facing, east facing, south facing, west facing
-
Position in border
Middle
- Sun exposure: Full sun, dappled shade, partial shade
- Hardiness: Hardy
- Soil type: Well drained / light / sandy
Plant calendar
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow | ||||||||||||
| Sow |
J
Do not Sow in January |
F
Do not Sow in February |
M
Do not Sow in March |
A
Do not Sow in April |
M
Do Sow in May |
J
Do Sow in June |
J
Do Sow in July |
A
Do not Sow in August |
S
Do not Sow in September |
O
Do not Sow in October |
N
Do not Sow in November |
D
Do not Sow in December |
| Plant | ||||||||||||
| Plant |
J
Do not Plant in January |
F
Do not Plant in February |
M
Do not Plant in March |
A
Do not Plant in April |
M
Do Plant in May |
J
Do Plant in June |
J
Do not Plant in July |
A
Do not Plant in August |
S
Do not Plant in September |
O
Do not Plant in October |
N
Do not Plant in November |
D
Do not Plant in December |
| Flowers | ||||||||||||
| Flowers |
J
Plant does not flower in January |
F
Plant does not flower in February |
M
Plant does not flower in March |
A
Plant does not flower in April |
M
Plant does flower in May |
J
Plant does flower in June |
J
Plant does not flower in July |
A
Plant does not flower in August |
S
Plant does not flower in September |
O
Plant does not flower in October |
N
Plant does not flower in November |
D
Plant does not flower in December |
Hesperis matronalis and wildlife
Hesperis matronalis is known for attracting bees, beneficial insects, butterflies/moths and other pollinators. It has nectar/pollen rich flowers and is a caterpilar food plant.
Attractive to Bees
Attractive to Beneficial insects
Does not attract Birds
Attractive to Butterflies/Moths
Attractive to Other pollinators
Is Hesperis matronalis poisonous?
Hesperis matronalis has no toxic effects reported.
No reported toxicity to Birds
No reported toxicity to Cats
No reported toxicity to Dogs
No reported toxicity to Horses
No reported toxicity to Livestock
No reported toxicity to People
