Practical
Plants

Hesperis matronalis

Sweet Rocket

a perennial member of the Hesperis genus in the family Brassicaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.75 m
Spread
0.6 m
Fertility
Bees, Flies, Lepidoptera
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees, Flies, Lepidoptera

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Young leaves - raw. Rich in vitamin C, they are used as a cress substitute in salads[5][11]. A rather bitter flavour, though many people like the extra tang it gives to salads[11]. For culinary purposes, the leaves should be picked before the plant flowers[5]. The seed can be sprouted and added to salads[5]. The seed contains 50% of an edible oil - there is a potential for cultivation[17][4].

Plant part
Leaves
Product or use
Oil
Plant part
Seed

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The leaves are antiscorbutic, diaphoretic and diuretic[17][11]. They are best harvested when the plant is in flower[11].

Product or use
Diaphoretic
Product or use
Diuretic

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

An essential oil from the seed is used in perfumery[15][16]. The plant is cultivated for this purpose.

Product or use
Essential

Environment

Range
S. Europe to Siberia. A garden escape in Britain, occasionally naturalized.
Habitat
Woodland edges[14], meadows, hedges, grass verges etc, avoiding acid soils[3].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 3+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
neutral, alkaline, very alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
drought
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
tolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow spring in an outdoor seedbed and plant them out in late summer[2]. Germination should take place within 3 weeks. The seed can also be sown in early spring in a warm greenhouse. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in late spring. The seed can also be sown in July for planting out in the following spring. Division. Plants are short-lived perennials, division may not be worthwhile. Cuttings in summer 7cm long in a shady border[2]. Only done with named varieties being grown for ornament, it is not worthwhile otherwise.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Prefers a rich moist well-drained soil, succeeding in full sun or semi-shade[2][11]. Requires a neutral to alkaline soil[9]. Prefers an alkaline soil[8]. Tolerates poor soils[9][10]. Grows well in damp, shady or grassy places[6]. Established plants are drought resistant[8]. Plants are hardy to about -20°c[6]. A very ornamental plant[1], it is a short-lived perennial[6] and is often grown as a biennial. A good bee, butterfly and moth plant, it is a specific food plant for the orange-tip butterfly[3][13][9]. The flowers are very aromatic with a clove-like fragrance, this is especially apparent in the evening[7][12]. They usually have very little scent during the day and thus obtained a reputation in folk-lore for deceit[11]. The plant is sometimes cultivated for the essential oil contained in its seed[16].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

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  2. Sanders. T. W. Popular Hardy Perennials. Collingridge 1926-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  3. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  4. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

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  5. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

  6. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30936-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

  7. Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7

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  8. Chatto. B. The Dry Garden. Dent 1982-00-00 ISBN 0460045512

    ↩1↩2

  9. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3

  10. Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0 460 86048 8

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  11. Phillips. R. & Foy. N. Herbs Pan Books Ltd. London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30725-8

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  12. Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8

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  13. Carter D. Butterflies and Moths in Britain and Europe. Pan 1982-00-00 ISBN 0-330-26642-x

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  14. Polunin. O. Flowers of Greece and the Balkans. Oxford University Press 1980-00-00 ISBN 0-19-217626-9

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  15. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

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  16. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩1↩2

  17. Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968-00-00

    ↩1↩2

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