A large, fragrant flower that fills the evening air with its sweet scent. Its flower clusters, ranging from soft pink to deep purple, rise on upright stems, making it a beautiful addition to country gardens, wildflower meadows, and cutting gardens.
This hardy and generous plant readily self-seeds, ensuring its return year after year. Much loved by pollinators and hummingbirds, Dame's Rocket brings charm and movement to any landscape, while adapting perfectly to low-maintenance gardens.
Where to Grow Dame's Rocket?
Dame's Rocket thrives in zones 3 to 9, preferring full sun to partial shade and moist, well-drained soil. It flourishes in meadows, pollinator gardens, borders, and natural areas, where it easily naturalizes.
History and Traditional Uses
Native to Europe and Asia, Dame's Rocket has been cultivated in gardens since the 16th century, appreciated for its fragrance and ease of cultivation. Traditionally used as an ornamental plant, it has naturalized in many regions, creating beautiful landscapes on forest edges and in meadows.
Canadian Zone Information
Zones 8-9: Sow directly in fall or early spring for early bloom.
Zones 5-7: Start seeds indoors in late winter or sow directly in spring after the last frost.
Zones 3-4: Sow directly in spring or apply a generous mulch during winter to protect young plants.
How to Grow and Harvest Dame's Rocket
Planting: Sow seeds 3 mm (1/8 in) deep, spacing plants 30 to 45 cm (12 to 18 in) apart.
Watering: Keep soil slightly moist until seedlings are established; once mature, Dame's Rocket tolerates drought well.
Flowering: Blooms begin in early summer and continue until fall.
Maintenance: Allow some plants to self-seed naturally to ensure long-term growth.
Tips for Seed Harvesting
Allow to flower and go to seed: Keep some plants until full maturity so they produce seed heads.
Seed harvesting: When pods become dry and brown, harvest them before they open.
Drying and cleaning: Separate seeds from their husks and spread them on a cloth to dry completely.
Storage: Store seeds in an airtight container, in a cool, dark place. When properly stored, they remain viable for up to 3 years.
Certified Organic by
Islands Organic Producers Association (Cert#1962)
