Dame's Rocket (Hesperis matronalis)

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Herb/Forb
Life cycle:	Biennial
Sun Requirements:	Full Sun Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water Preferences:	Mesic Dry Mesic Dry
Minimum cold hardiness:	Zone 4a -34.4 °C (-30 °F) to -31.7 °C (-25 °F)
Maximum recommended zone:	Zone 9b
Plant Height:	50-90 cm
Plant Spread:	30-40 cm
Leaves:	Unusual foliage color Other: Alternate, lance shaped, hairy above, sharply toothed w/ short stalks or stalkless.
Flowers:	Showy Fragrant
Flower Color:	Purple
Bloom Size:	Under 1"
Flower Time:	Late spring or early summer Summer Late summer or early fall Fall
Uses:	Cut Flower Will Naturalize
Wildlife Attractant:	Bees Butterflies
Resistances:	Drought tolerant
Propagation: Seeds:	Provide light Suitable for wintersowing Sow in situ Start indoors Can handle transplanting Other info: sow outdoors the year round
Pollinators:	Moths and Butterflies Flies Bees
Miscellaneous:	Tolerates poor soil

Common names

Dame's Rocket
Sweet Rocket
Dame's Violet
Wandering Lady

Photo Gallery

Uploaded by bootandall

Location: Ingleside. Illinois
Date: 2023-05-21

Uploaded by antsinmypants

Location: Riverview, Robson, B.C.
Date: 2008-06-07
A bountiful plant and fragrant addition to the garden.

Uploaded by HemNorth

Location: My garden, Pequea, Pennsylvania 17565
Date: 2017-05-09

Uploaded by csandt

Location: woodland garden
Date: 2013-06-14
Naturalized - planted 10 yrs ago

Uploaded by mabarberdo

Location: St Louis
Date: 2013-05-18
Bloom can be variegated

Uploaded by SL_gardener

Uploaded by SL_gardener

Location: Russia, Western Caucasus, Lagonaki Plateau
Date: 2022-07-02

Uploaded by Serjio

Location: Cedarhome, Washington
Date: 2015-08-02

Uploaded by Bonehead

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2020-05-09

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2020-05-01

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: My garden, Tyne and Wear, England UK
Date: 2023-05-10
Hesperis matronalis

Uploaded by Galanthophile

Location: Darwell Rolling Woods, Alberta
Date: 2015-06-10

Uploaded by darwellwoods

Uploaded by SL_gardener

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2011-05-04

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: Ontario, Canada
Date: 2015-05-30

Uploaded by Daylilybaby

Location: Growing wild, Ann Arbor, MI
Date: 2011-06-06

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by purpleinopp

Photo courtesy of Annie's Annuals and Perennials

Uploaded by Joy

Location: Ingleside. Illinois
Date: 2022-05-18

Uploaded by antsinmypants

Uploaded by Kassia

Uploaded by vic

Location: Clark Hill Road, Pequea, PA 17565
Date: 2016-05-08

Uploaded by csandt

Uploaded by csandt

Location: my garden zone 5 Indiana
Date: 2018-07-04

Uploaded by gardengus

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by purpleinopp

Uploaded by Joy

Location: My garden, Cottage-in-the-Meadow Gardens in South Amana, IA
Date: 2010-05-17

Uploaded by LarryR

Location: My garden, Cottage-in-the-Meadow Gardens in South Amana, IA
Date: Early summer 2011

Uploaded by LarryR

Location: my home, Zone 7A, NC
Date: 2011-12-06

Uploaded by sandnsea2

Location: Schwartz Greenhouse, Romulus, MI
Date: 2012-05-08

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Location: Ontario, Canada
Date: 2015-05-11

Uploaded by Daylilybaby

Uploaded by Kassia

Location: Ed Burton, NE Wisconsin
Date: 2017-05-29

Uploaded by EdBurton

Uploaded by 4susiesjoy

Uploaded by SpringGreenThumb

Uploaded by sandnsea2

Location: Columbus, OH
Date: April, 2003

Uploaded by purpleinopp

Location: Price Hill, Ohio
Date: 2011-05-29
Dame's Rocket, growing in southwestern Ohio.

Uploaded by AnnaSartin

Uploaded by admin

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2014-05-13

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Photo Courtesy of Select Seeds. Used with permission.

Uploaded by Joy

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2011-05-12

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by lauribob

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Location: Schwartz Greenhouse, Romulus, MI
Date: 2010-05-03

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by Natalie

Uploaded by sandnsea2

Location: Ontario, Canada
Date: 2015-05-21

Uploaded by Daylilybaby

Uploaded by Daylilybaby

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2015-05-07

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by vic

Location: My garden in Belgium
Date: 2010-08-23
butterlies like this plant

Uploaded by JonnaSudenius

Location: My garden in Belgium
Date: 2010-08-23

Uploaded by JonnaSudenius

Uploaded by SpringGreenThumb

Uploaded by SpringGreenThumb

Uploaded by SpringGreenThumb

Uploaded by SpringGreenThumb

Uploaded by 4susiesjoy

Uploaded by SpringGreenThumb

Location: my garden zone 5 Indiana
Date: 2018-07-04
green seed pod

Uploaded by gardengus

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2013-05-12

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by admin

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2015-04-15

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2013-04-10
self seeds

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by Daylilybaby

Uploaded by Daylilybaby

Uploaded by Daylilybaby

This plant is tagged in:

Comments:

Posted by sandnsea2 (Cape Cod, MA, USA - Zone 7a) on Jun 15, 2013 1:09 PM concerning plant:

This is an easy plant to grow by direct seeding in fall or early spring.

The only problem I have found is that the leaves look very much like a weed and can easily be eradicated by overzealous weeding.

Reply to this comment
Posted by SongofJoy (Clarksville, TN - Zone 6b) on Mar 9, 2012 4:55 PM concerning plant:

Dame's rocket is a relatively common, old-fashioned perennial. This plant is native to Europe and has escaped from U.S. gardens or is planted in wild flower areas. Some would consider this plant to be an invasive exotic plant, but it does produce a spectacular show in the spring garden.

The plants are usually biennials, but most people don't notice that the seeds have germinated in the fall; they only notice the flowers in the spring. There are white and double varieties.

Reply to this comment
Posted by jmorth (central Illinois) on Oct 28, 2011 7:05 PM concerning plant:

Some gardeners consider this plant as invasive. Some gardeners grow it as an ornamental.
There are 4 petals to each flower up to an inch long.
Evenings prompt a fragrant response from plant.
Young leaves are edible, can be tossed into salads.

Reply to this comment

Plant Events from our members
lovesblooms	On May 6, 2015	Seeds sown direct
antsinmypants	On May 16, 2023	Bloomed
antsinmypants	On May 17, 2022	Bloomed

» Post your own event for this plant

Discussion Threads about this plant

Thread Title	Last Reply	Replies
incorrect id by janinilulu	Nov 10, 2022 9:52 AM	2
I think this is Hesperis matronalis (dame's rocket) by purpleinopp	Jan 3, 2023 2:52 PM	4

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Hesperis Dame's Rocket (Hesperis matronalis)

Hesperis
Dame's Rocket (Hesperis matronalis)