Stock

Sun

Full sun; light afternoon shade can help in warmer gardens.

Water

Water regularly while establishing, then when the soil surface begins to dry. Keep evenly moist during flowering without leaving the roots waterlogged.

Soil

Fertile, well-drained soil, preferably neutral to slightly alkaline. Avoid wet, compacted ground.

Height

1-3 ft (0.3-0.9 m), depending on strain

Spread

0.5-1.5 ft (0.15-0.45 m)

Flowers

Spring to early summer, sometimes longer in cool climates; white, cream, pink, rose, red, lavender and purple, with single or double flowers.

Foliage

Narrow, softly hairy, grey-green leaves arranged along upright stems.

Growth

Fast; annual strains can flower within a few months of sowing.

Care needed

Medium

• Pollinators
• Low allergen
• Fragrant

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.5 ft (0.15 m)

2. After 1 year

   2 ft (0.6 m)

   full size

Full size in one season.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Fast

• Plant after hard frosts have passed, spacing plants about 8-12 in (20-30 cm) apart, or wider for branching strains.
• Water at soil level and avoid keeping the foliage wet overnight.
• Work compost into the soil before planting; feed container plants with a balanced liquid fertiliser according to the label.
• Support tall strains with discreet stakes or flower-support netting before the spikes become heavy.
• Use a thin mulch to conserve moisture, keeping it clear of the stems.

Pruning. Remove faded flower spikes promptly; branching strains may produce smaller side shoots. Do not pinch single-stem cutting strains, and remove annual plants once flowering finishes or heat causes them to decline.

Late winter

Sow annual strains under cover in bright, cool conditions, roughly 6-8 weeks before planting out.

Early spring

Harden off young plants gradually and prepare a sunny bed with good drainage.

Spring

Plant out after hard frosts; water in and install supports for tall strains.

Late spring

Water during dry spells, remove faded spikes and check young growth for aphids.

Summer

Remove exhausted annual plants. Sow biennial Brompton strains for flowering the following spring where winters permit.

Autumn

In mild-winter regions, plant young stocks for cool-season flowering in a sheltered, freely draining position.

• Plant beside paths or seating areas where the flower scent can be enjoyed at close range.
• Combine with pansies, violas and spring bulbs for cool-season bedding.
• Use tall strains in cutting beds or through the middle of cottage borders for upright flower spikes.
• Grow compact strains in containers near doors, keeping drainage holes unobstructed.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, Romantic rose garden, Sensory garden, Pastel border, English country and White garden.

Plant it with: Pansies, Violas, Tulips, Forget-me-nots, Snapdragons and Sweet alyssum.

Wildlife: Single flowers provide nectar and pollen for bees and other visiting insects. Fully double flowers offer much less accessible food.

• Aphids cluster on buds and soft shoots: wash off small colonies with water or use insecticidal soap according to the label.
• Cabbage-family caterpillars chew leaves: inspect leaf undersides and remove caterpillars by hand.
• Clubroot causes swollen roots, stunting and wilting: remove affected plants, avoid moving contaminated soil and do not replant stocks or other cabbage-family plants in that bed.
• Wet conditions encourage grey mould and stem or root rot: improve drainage and airflow, water at soil level and remove affected plants or flowers.

Stock is not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses; no plant part is recognised as a significant poisoning hazard. It is grown as an ornamental, and eating garden plants may still cause stomach upset.

• Night-scented stock (Matthiola longipetala)

  A looser, more slender annual with small, usually pale lilac, four-petalled flowers that open towards evening; garden stock has denser, showier spikes and often double flowers.

• Common wallflower (Erysimum cheiri)

  Usually has narrower, less woolly leaves and clusters of single flowers in yellow, orange, rust or red, rather than the often pastel, densely packed spikes of stock.

Matthiola honours the Italian physician and botanist Pietro Andrea Mattioli, while incana means grey or hoary, referring to the softly hairy foliage.

Propagation. Sow seed for annual bedding strains in late winter or early spring, or in autumn where winters are mild. Sow biennial strains in summer for flowering the following year. Fully double flowers are generally sterile, so seed-raised batches may contain both single- and double-flowered plants.

Accepted botanical name

Matthiola incana

In the US and Canada

Introduced in the lower 48 states.

Native range

Albania, Corse, France, Greece, Italy, Sardegna, Sicilia, Spain and Yugoslavia.

Measured

Soil pH 6.5 to 7. Average height 37 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.