| Virginia stock | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Brassicales |
| Family: | Brassicaceae |
| Genus: | Malcolmia |
| Species: | M. maritima |
| Binomial name | |
| Malcolmia maritima (L.) Ait. f. |
|
Virginia stock (Malcolmia maritima (L.) Ait. f.) is a popular annual garden plant from the family Brassicaceae. A beautiful and profusely flowering annual, it is probably one of the easiest of all plants to grow. Growing to about 6-12 inches tall (15–30 cm), it makes a mass of pink, purple and white fragrant four petalled (cruciform) flowers. It is native in the Mediterranean region (from Greece to Spain)[1] where it occurs in maritime sandy habitats and in waste places.
Contents |
For best results in growing Virginia stock, sow on the surface in patches or rows and thin the young plants to 6 inches apart. It prefers full to partial sun and well drained soils [2].
There is a fair amount of variation in cultivated material, particularly with regard to stature and flower colour (variously violet, purple, lavender, pink).