Hesperis matronalis – Dame’s Violet – Sweet Rocket – Wild Phlox – Dame’s Rocket –

Description

Hesperis – There are about 60 species of biennial and herbaceous perennial, in this genus. They occur in stony sites, wasteland, and woodland from Europe to China and Siberia. Most have narrow ovate to spoon shaped, smooth edged to pinnatifid, pale to mid green leaves. They are grown for their loose racemes or panicles of cross shaped, 4 petalled, fragrant, pink, purple, yellowish white, or white flowers. Cultivars with double flowers are particularly good for cutting. Use in a mixed or herbaceous border, or in a wild garden. Grow in moderately fertile, moist but well drained, neutral to alkaline soil in sun or partial shade. Prone to viruses, mildew, slugs and snails, flea beetles, and caterpillars. H. matronalis – Dame’s Violet – Sweet Rocket – Wild Phlox – Dame’s Rocket – This rosette forming biennial or short lived perennial from Southern Europe, Russia and Central Asia grows 12-36″ tall and 18-24″ wide. It produces oval, toothed, hairy, dark green leaves, 4-8″ long. From late spring to mid summer it bears racemes or panicles of usually fragrant, lilac or purple, sometimes white or very pale lilac flowers, to 1 ½” across, Very attractive to insects. Plants lose their vigor and are best renewed every 2 to 3 years. Zones 4-9