Dame’s rocket Hesperis matronalis
Table of Contents
With its showy pink-purple flowers, dames rocket brightens up a variety of habitats, including roadside verges, woodland, river banks and hedgerows. However, this herbaceous wildflower of the mustard family is extremely invasive and considered a weed by many gardeners.
Plant family: Brassicaceae
Aliases: Dames violet, dameswort, garden rocket, mother of the evening, night rocket, summer lilac, sweet rocket
Flowering period: May – August
Flower colour: Pink – purple
Preferred soil type: Most types, moist
Habitat: Grassland, hedgerows, roadside verges
Status: Common
General information
A non-native, erect, multi-branched biennial or short-lived perennial wildflower, that’s part of the mustard family, growing to over a metre in height. Sometimes referred to as dames violet this plant is commonly found in woodland, roadside verges, river banks and waste ground, preferring semi shaded, moist sites.
Dames rocket is a non-native and was introduced to the UK via Europe by early settlers and has become an invasive plant, due to it’s prolific seeding and is often considered a weed plant. However many gardeners grow it for its lovely violet-like fragrance, which is produced during the early-evening and is also the source for many alternative names for this plant.
Identification
Flowers: The pink – purple flowers measure 15 – 20mm in diameter, each with four petals with prominent veins, blooming from May – August. During the evening they omit a lovely fragrant scent.
Leaves: The leaves are alternate, borne on erect stems, lanceolate in shape with slightly toothed margins and up to 12 cm in length.
Value for wildlife
Dames rocket provides a valuable source of nectar for many types of bee and butterflies. It’s also the food source of the larvae of various butterflies and moths.
Used for dame’s rocket
The young, tender leaves are rich in vitamin C and can be used in salads, picking them before the plant flowers yields the best taste taste, otherwise they become quite bitter.
Dames rocket has medicinal properties and has been used to treat scurvy, encourage urination and induce sweating.
The flowers can be cut and used to add a pleasant fragrance to rooms in the home.
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