Quick Reference Growing Guide
| Plant Type: | Herbaceous flowering perennial (or annua ... | Flower / Foliage Color: | Bicolor, apricot, lavender, pink, purple ... |
| Native to: | Southern Europe | Tolerance: | Deer, light shade |
| Hardiness (USDA Zone): | 7-10 | Soil Type: | Average to moderately fertile |
| Bloom Time: | Late spring to early summer | Soil pH: | 6.8-7.5 |
| Exposure: | Full sun | Soil Drainage: | Well-draining |
Full Answer
What is a stock plant called?
The stock plant referred to here is not the plant that you nurture in the greenhouse as a source of cuttings, which may be any type of plant. Stock flower info indicates there is a type of plant that’s actually named stock flower (commonly called Gillyflower) and botanically called Matthiola incana.
What are stock flowers?
Stock flowers are a cottage garden favorite that come in many pleasing shades of pink , orange, crimson, purple and white. If you've ever been walking around in a plant nursery and notice a subtle, clove-like scent, you may be near some stock flowers. These pretty cottage garden plants have been a favorites for hundreds of years.
Where do stock flower plants grow?
Stock flower plant is indigenous to southern European regions. You can find these plants growing in abundance from Balearics to the lush lands of former Yugoslavia. Over time, these coastal plants have naturalized in western Mediterranean regions including hinterlands at altitudes of about 600 meters.
What does a stock plant look like when it blooms?
It produces loose, airy white flower spikes atop gray-green basal foliage. Both types bloom best when temperatures are cool and when cut back to keep flowers coming. Monitor your stock plants as they bloom. Stock flowers open from the bottom of the flower stalk, moving up to the terminal tip.
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What is meant by stock plant?
What is a Stock Plant? Stock plants are healthy specimens of plants you wish to propagate. Their entire purpose is to be the genesis of a new generation of the same kind of plant. Depending upon the variety of plant, stock plants are the source of cuttings, graft material, seeds, bulbs, or tubers.
What are stock plants grown for?
Growing Tips Stock is useful for beds, borders, and containers, but is best grown for cutting and for its exquisite fragrance. Stock is an ideal choice for a cottage garden. Grow tall cultivars in a cool greenhouse for winter cut flowers.
Does stock plant come back every year?
In warmer climates, stock is considered a perennial, as the hardy plants can survive for several years, coming back with sturdier, woodier stems each year, until the summer heat eventually takes its toll.
Do stock plants rebloom?
Other info says stock flowers can be biennial. In areas without freezing winters, stock flower info says it may even perform as a perennial. Stock flowers bloom from spring to summer, offering continuous blooms in the sunny garden when given the right stock plant care.
Are Stocks cold hardy?
Stock has a shorter bloom time than many other annuals, but it does quite well when handled as a hardy annual in cool maritime climates. Colors include white and many shades of pink.
Are stock flowers perennials?
How to Grow Stock Flowers. In USDA zones 7-10, stock will tend to be biennial, or possibly become a short-lived perennial, with the stems growing sturdier and woodier each year (somewhat like perennial snapdragons).
Can Stocks be grown in pots?
Stocks (Matthiola) are super hardy and sturdy plants that are great in containers, on a terrace or as gap fillers in borders.
How tall does stock get?
Stock plants grow up to three feet tall. The flowers make good-cut flowers for indoor arrangements. A dwarf variety, growing just 8″ – 12″ tall, is also available.
Do slugs eat Stocks?
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When should you cut back Stocks?
Perennials are not demanding plants, but trimming them after flowering finishes in autumn helps improve their appearance and flowering. However, you can leave some stems over winter to provide homes and food for wildlife, and then trim back in spring.
What colors do stock flowers come in?
The flowers are pink, white, red, rose, purple, and lavender in color. Growing stock: Stock is at its best in the cool, humid weather of foggy, coastal areas, even though some varieties are more heat-tolerant for a longer flowering season elsewhere.
When should you pinch a stock?
Pinch plants every few weeks to keep them in bloom as long as possible. Gather blossoms to use as cut flowers just as they open.
What is stock flower?
Stock is slightly spirelike and comes in a wide range of colors. It makes a great cut flower, perfuming bouquets as well as the border. It grows best in full sun or part shade and moist, well-drained soil.
How tall do Matthiola stock plants grow?
Matthiola Legacy Series stock plants bear double flowers in a range of bright shades. They grow 2 feet tall.
Is sweet pea a perennial?
Sweet peas are a gorgeous group of annual or perennial vines with colorful flowers. The annual types are the most common, and they bear large, often ruffled blooms in a rainbow of shades. Many are strongly fragrant, too -- so it's no wonder why they're such classic plants. Note: Though they're related to garden peas, sweet pea seeds are poisonous.
What is the best pH for a M. incana plant?
For buds to set, the temperature must be below 60°F. Plants require full sun to light shade, and average to rich soil that drains well. The ideal pH is near neutral, or about 6.8 to 7.5.
Why do seed packets have phytosanitary certification?
Imported seed packets often, but not always, include the phrase “phytosanitary certification” to guarantee that they are free of pests and diseases and meet the standards of the receiving country.
How tall is a hybrid plant?
There are many hybrid series of plants from which to choose. Plant dimensions range from 12 to 36 inches tall, and nine to 18 inches wide. They are upright and may have one of two growth habits. Columnar varieties have a single stem and a dense cluster of flowers. Spray types are multi-stemmed with loose terminal blooms.
When to use individual seed starter cells?
It is best to use individual seed starter cells for minimal disruption when transplanting to the garden.
Can you divide perennials to make new ones?
If you already grow perennials that come up yearly, divide existing plants to make new ones.
Is M. incana a perennial?
Plants may thrive right through to fall in these locales. M. incana is a tender perennial In USDA Hardiness Zones 7 to 10 that may live for a few years, coming back with woodier stems each spring.
What is stock plant?
Mary McMahon. A stock plant is a plant which is used for propagation. There are a number of ways to utilize stock plants, depending on the plant being grown. Nurseries usually maintain a large library of stock plants which they use to cultivate plants for their customers, as do commercial growers of flowers and crops.
What happens if a stock plant is diseased?
It also needs to be free of disease; if a stock plant becomes diseased, all of the plants propagated from it can potentially have the disease as well. Healthy stock is especially critical in agriculture, where cuttings from a diseased plant could cause an infection to destroy an entire crop.
What is rootstock in grapes?
Rootstock is a system of hardy roots and a partial trunk to which another plant or tree can be grafted . Viticulturists often use rootstock to grow delicate grapes in harsh climates, relying on the robust nature of the rootstock to support the plant.
Why are seeds collected from stock plants?
In this case, seeds are collected from the stock plant to ensure that high quality plants which are true to the cultivar will be produced from the seeds. Stock plants can also be used as a source of cuttings for propagation, along with a source of grafts, bulbs, and other vegetative matter which can be used for propagation.
Why do gardeners use stock?
This little known plugin reveals the answer. Home gardeners may use stock to propagate plants for their gardens and those of friends. They should take care to use healthy plants of high quality, and to maintain stock plants in healthy, controlled conditions to avoid the introduction of plant diseases and pests which could spread to other plants. ...
Why do plants need asexual propagation?
Asexual plant propagation is often used to control quality and outcome , with exemplars of a desired cultivar being cloned over and over again to produce plants for sale. In order to be used as a stock plant, a plant needs to possess certain traits.
What is stock flower?
The stock flower plant (Matthiola incana) is a species in the Brassicaceae ( cabbage) Family. It is a common flowering plant in the gardening industry. The flowers of these plants are heavily scented and bloom in various colors. Most widely, these flowers are used in floristry.
Where do stock flower plants grow?
Stock flower plant is indigenous to southern European regions. You can find these plants growing in abundance from Balearics to the lush lands of former Yugoslavia. Over time, these coastal plants have naturalized in western Mediterranean regions including hinterlands at altitudes of about 600 meters.
What are the small flies that kill plants called?
These small flies are also called jumping beetle. While feeding on foliage, they make small holes that damage them heavily. Tender seedlings may even die due to this act. Moreover, flea beetles act as “vectors” in spreading plant diseases.
What color are the flowers on a sage plant?
The heavily scented flowers have a variety of colors including cream, white, yellow, red, pink, blue, or purple.
How big do stock flower plants get?
Some annual varieties of stock flower plants can grow in excess of 3 inches in height. The woody stems measure 20 – 28 cm across in diameter. The branches have a circular arrangement of leaves (rosettes). Usually, these lanceolate, attenuated leaves have an ash-color.
What are some other names for a gilly flower?
These plants also have several other names including Gilly-flower, common stock, ten-week stock, Brompton stock, and hoary stock.
When do sage plants stop blooming?
Each spring, they grow back with mediocre woody stems. They bloom till summer. When the temperature becomes extremely hot, they stop blooming. Usually, the growers start the propagation during fall, in these regions.
What is stock flower?
Stock flowers were popular during the Victorian era and were commonly known as gilly flowers in England . They are considered signs of deep affection when given to others. 1 Although often purchased as an annual, stock can easily be grown in home gardens. It makes a colorful addition to fresh bouquets, has long-lasting blooms, and also makes an excellent dried flower. The flowers are edible, with a delicate floral taste, and can be added to salads or as a garnish to desserts.
How to grow stock from seed?
Stock can be grown easily from seed, but should be sown early as it tends to wilt a bit in late summer heat. Sow them in rich neutral soil, barely covering with 1/8 of soil. Maintain good moisture by spraying but don't oversaturate soil. Seedlings should appear within 10-14 days. As seedlings mature, you may pinch back budding growing tips for more dense clusters of blooms.
Why do you deadhead stock flowers?
Deadheading stock flowers after the petals wilt keeps the plants looking neat and may help generate new growth and possibly more blooms (this varies from one variety to another).
What are the pests on my stock?
Stock may be bothered by aphids, flea beetles, and cabbage white caterpillars. If you see pests on the leaves, gently remove them and cut off any damaged plant parts. They may also be vulnerable to the following diseases: fusarium wilt, gray mold, leaf spot, root rot, and verticillium wilt. Avoiding overwatering will help prevent most of these.
How much sun does a stock flower need?
Stock flowers enjoy full sun but will bloom just fine in partial shade conditions, as long as they get at least 2-3 hours of sun per day; indirect sunlight will also keep them blooming. Too much hot bright sunlight will overwhelm them, so morning sun is better than afternoon sun.
Do stock plants need fertilizer?
Stock doesn't tend to need fertilizer, but it's somewhat particular about soil. A layer of natural mulch will help keep weed growth down and keep the soil evenly moist and cool for optimal growing conditions.
Is stock a perennial or biennial?
In USDA zones 7-10, stock will tend to be biennial, or possibly become a short-lived per ennial, with the stems growing sturdier and woodier each year (somewhat like perennial snapdragons ). Planting them among cottage garden flowers with similar culture needs, like dianthus, heliotrope, larkspur, snapdragons and petunias, will help them stay healthy.
What is a Stock Plant?
Stock plants are healthy specimens of plants you wish to propagate. Their entire purpose is to be the genesis of a new generation of the same kind of plant. Depending upon the variety of plant, stock plants are the source of cuttings, graft material, seeds, bulbs, or tubers. This is why they are often called mother plants.
Why do you need stock plants?
Managing stock plants gives you a ready and healthy supply of new clones to share or just keep for yourself. Using stock plants for propagation gives you an identical cutting or tuber to the mother plant. Keeping a mother plant free of disease ensures healthy offspring and just requires a little know-how to make her thrive ...
Why are stock plants called mother plants?
This is why they are often called mother plants. All vegetative plant material that is grown from the stock plant is genetically identical to the parent and is called a clone. Keeping a mother plant healthy and free of disease is as important as it is to keep a gestating mammal in the best shape. Managing stock plants is ...
How successful is plant stock propagation?
Plant stock propagation is most successful if it is done through superior plant specimens. The mother plant should be a premium example of its species and free of disease. It must have all the desirable traits of its species and be healthy and vigorous enough to withstand material donation.
Why is it important to keep a mother plant free of disease?
Keeping a mother plant free of disease ensures healthy offspring and just requires a little know-how to make her thrive and produce generations of fine babies. Choose healthy, superior examples of your preferred species of plant when using stock plants for propagation.
What is the name of the plant that grows from rootstock?
Mother plants grown for their root structure are called rootstock and those grown for grafting onto rootstock are called scions.
Do you need to know the specifics of your type of plant’s reproduction?
You need to know the specifics of your type of plant’s reproduction and then pursue hearty growth on your specimen.
How to grow stock flowers from seed?
Stock flowers are famous for their spicy fragrance, and with the right soil and sunlight, you can grow them from seed. Start by choosing a location that gets at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight each day. Break up the soil with a rake or garden fork and add some slow-release granular fertilizer and well-rotted compost. Fill a plastic bottle with silver sand and pour it over the soil in straight rows. Then, sow the seeds along the lines of sand and lightly cover them with soil. Use a hose or watering can to apply a gentle spray of water so the seeds don’t wash away, and water regularly so the soil stays moist. Once the plants begin to grow, water them twice a week. For tips about how to remove weeds, read on!
What temperature do stock flowers need to bloom?
These annual flowers come in a range of colors and are usually grown from seed. They require temperatures below 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18 degrees Celsius) to blossom, and they stop flowering by summer, so you should plant the flowers early in ...
How to keep seeds moist?
Keep the seeds watered. Use a garden hose or watering can apply a fine mist or gentle spray of water to the seeds to moisten the soil without washing the seeds away.
How to amend soil in a garden?
If not, however, you can still amend it now by chopping it up with a rake or garden fork and adding a slow-release granular fertilizer, as well as well-rotted compost.
Do moths like stock flowers?
Apply insecticides and pesticides only as necessary. Moths are occasionally attracted to stock flowers, but otherwise, the plants are not especially prone to pest problems.
Can pebbles damage stock flowers?
Smaller pebbles should not cause any damage, but large stones can present obstacles for developing roots, and weeds can compete with your stock flowers for valuable nutrition. ...
How to monitor stock plants?
Monitor your stock plants as they bloom. Stock flowers open from the bottom of the flower stalk, moving up to the terminal tip. As the lower flowers fade, pinch off individual blossoms between your fingers if they are in a high-visibility area of your garden and the browning bothers you.
Where is the next lateral bud on a stock plant?
The next lateral bud is usually at the joint between the first set of leaves under the flower spike and the stem. The stock plant should send up an additional flush of bloom. Prune the plant back to its basal foliage when temperatures rise and the plant is no longer sending up shoots after deadheading.
Is stock a perennial or annual?
A Mediterranean native, according to the Missouri Botanical Garden, it's an annual in much of the country and a perennial in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 to 10.
Is stock deer resistant?
Stock is deer resistant, so don't count on wildlife to do your pruning for you. Allow some flowers to go to seed when you want more of this highly fragrant plant.
