Stock
Matthiola incana

Family: Brassicaceae

What it is like

A cabbage family herb. It is a robust plant which keeps growing from year to year. It grows 50 cm high and spreads 30 cm wide. It is woody at the base. The leaf scars are easy to see. The leaves are crowded near the ends of the branches. The lower leaves have leaf stalks but the upper leaves do not. The leaf blade is narrow and sword shaped. It is 3-12 cm long and entire. It has dense hairs over it. The flowers have a sweet scent. The sepals are narrow and 9-13 mm long. They are densely hairy outside. The petals are oval and 2.5 cm long. They are pink, mauve or white. The fruit have lobes 2-3 mm long. The pods are narrow and flattened. They are 4.5-13 cm long. The seeds are 3 mm long.

There are about 50-55 Matthiola species.

Where it is found

It is a warm temperate plant. It does best in full sun. It can grow in an average, well drained soil. It suits hardiness zones 8-11.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Andorra, Asia, Australia, Britain, China, Crete, Cyprus, Ecuador, Egypt, Europe, France, Greece, India, Ireland, Italy, Mediterranean, Myanmar, Norfolk Island, North Africa, Pakistan, Portugal, SE Asia, Slovenia, Spain, Tasmania, Turkey, Türkiye, Yugoslavia

How it is used for food

The highly fragrant flowers are eaten as a vegetable or used in sweet desserts. The pods are also edible.

It is a famine food. It is cultivated.

Edible parts

Flowers, leaves, seedpods

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed. The seed ars scattered on the soil surface and raked lightly to loosely cover with soil. Plants are spaced 15-20 cm apart.

Its other names

Local names

Alalilla, Aleluya morada, Alheli, Alheli blanco, Alheli morado, Brompton stock, Gilli flowers, Hinojo, Hoary stock, Pyo-do-maung, šeboj, Todri lila, Todri safed

Synonyms

Cheiranthes incanus L.; Matthiola annua Sweet;