Matthiola Species, Annual Stock, Night-Scented Stock, Perfume Plant

On Apr 6, 2019, BeetleBeth from Graham, WA wrote:

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July 23rd

I am so happy with these plants now. I had to replant several times. A lot of them didn't make it, but that could be from several factors (my parents are growing their first garden, and they don't really know what they're doing so pests run amuck; the soil i'm planting in isn't amended well for stock plants)

They really smell like perfume! It's awesome. You may have to plant alot of the smell to waft through the air, I have to bend down to smell them, so they may be better in pots near the door.

They bloom a little before night, so there's time to smell them before it gets creepy outside. I was upset at first because I couldn't smell anything, but it turns out you have to wait till they've opened and closed a co... read moreuple times, and the petals are floppy looking.

great plant. Will try to plant in vast swaths next year, if I'm able. This plant has become an obsession, if not a favorite just yet. (i'm going to try to perfect the planting and caring process before I make a decision).

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Surely I'm planting these at the wrong time or area... I can't seem to get them to grow! They wilt and die after they reach 2 inch height and have two leaves. I have them in little pots in potting soil indoors under a sun lamp, 6 ft above the plants. I live in zone 8b... If anyone has any ideas, please reach out to me and send a message, I would be very thankful!!

On Sep 30, 2011, Tropicalnikko from Brisbane bayside,
Australia (Zone 11) wrote:

I will be sowing some of these this coming winter (as it's to hot here in the tropics for most annuals in summer) and I'll let u guys know how it goes

On Feb 10, 2010, Valeriedisere from Massieu,
France wrote:

I planted seeds for this plant for the first time last June and they have enthralled me all summer with their perfume, it is sublime. Although the flowers themselves are not very large and they can tend to become a little leggy, I should imagine that if they were planted with another fuller bodied plant they would look much better. I was really impatient to collect the seeds and it wasn't until 6 weeks ago (end of December 2009) that I was able to collect them once they had dried on the plants. I can't wait to sow them again this year, I will even try to get them in the ground earlier, in order to prolong their season and enjoy their perfume for longer.

On Mar 11, 2005, spklatt from Ottawa, ON (Zone 5a) wrote:

I love these plants! They don't look that exciting during the day - rather unkempt - but come evening, the little flowers open and the most wonderful cocoa-butter scent wafts across your yard.

They also self-seeded quite readily in my yard - but if they didn't I would buy them every spring anyway, because they smell great.

On Apr 23, 2004, mrmcoy from Seattle, WA wrote:

This is a great plant-an old favorite of mine-it is a little, frail weedy thing in the daytime-but the flowers lift their heads when the sun sets and just put out this delicious fragrance. Some plants seem to be MUCH more fragrant than others-and soil chemistry may have something to do with this. I'm not sure but I think that they are also much more fragrant in positions where they aren't too inundated with fertilizer and tending - like an edible herb they like to suffer a bit! It makes them more intense. someplace a bit dry that you dont fertilize alot

I have occasionally sown them in containers with other more decorative plants-thinking that I would 'borrow' their fragrance that way...it usually doesn't work, as they either die from to much care, or just don't smell all ... read morethat much, where their compatriots that were sown out at the neglected end of a bed somewhere REALLY go crazy! ...some plants are just little wild things-no matter what you try to train them into!!