Wallflower

Wallflower (Cheiranthus) - Beautiful plants made familiar by the favourite Wallflower (C. Cheiri), the only kind much grown in gardens. It is a native of S. Europe, but naturalised on old walls, in quarries, and on seacliffs. It loves a wall better than any garden; it grows coarsely in garden soil, but forms a dwarf enduring bush on an old wall if planted in mortar, and grows even on walls quite new. No variety is unworthy of cultivation, and the choice old garden kinds—the double yellow, double purple, double orange, dark, etc.—are worthy of a place among the finest border plants.

The double perennials are the yellow, dark crimson, red, and dwarf yellow. The yellow is most common, and a beautiful clear-colored kind it is, a great favourite with cottagers, who propagate it by putting in slips about the time the plants are in flower. It can be propagated freely by means of slips put in under hand-lights in sharp sandy soil, and the plants will flower the next spring. The old dark crimson is now almost extinct; in color the flowers are almost black, and very striking; the dwarf yellow has flowers of a dull, almost buff tint; the Raby Castle variety is valuable and sturdy.

Many persons sow seed of Cheiranthus too late—in June and July, instead of April and May. If dry weather follows close on the sowing, or after the plants have grown 2 or 3 inches, they receive a check, and instead of being dwarf, vigorous, and bushy they are thin and poor. The winter will sometimes injure the Wallflower severely, especially when very severe frost follows close on heavy rains, and the stronger and better rooted the plants are the more likely are they to stand the weather. The plants used for filling beds should have been once transplanted at least, because the moving induces them to throw out fibry roots near the surface, and they can be lifted with soil adhering to them. When the Wallflower is allowed to grow where it is sown, a strong tap-root is formed, which strikes deep into the soil, and but few surface roots are put forth. In transplanting from the seed-beds, it is well to pinch off the tap-root, and thereby induce fibrous roots.

All these perennials prefer dry soil during winter, or a place on rough stone walls. Propagation is by cuttings, and top dressing with fine soil often induces the summer wood to root freely, and by autumn a good stock can be had.

Wallflower Pictures

Erysimum capitatum (Dougl. ex Hook.) Greene - sanddune wallflower

Erysimum capitatum (Dougl. ex Hook.) Greene - sanddune wallflower

Erysimum capitatum (Dougl. ex Hook.) Greene - sanddune wallflower

Erysimum capitatum (Dougl. ex Hook.) Greene var. perenne (S. Wats. ex Coville) R.J. Davis - sanddune wallflower

Erysimum capitatum (Dougl. ex Hook.) Greene var. perenne (S. Wats. ex Coville) R.J. Davis - sanddune wallflower

Erysimum menziesii (Hook.) Wettst. - Menzies' wallflower

Related Flowers

Cheiranthus Allionii

Cheiranthus Allionii - Said to be a hybrid. Flowers long and well in my garden.

Cheiranthus Alpinus

Cheiranthus Alpinus - a sub-shrubby alpine Wallflower from Scandinavia, forming bushes nearly 1 foot high, covered in May with clusters of sulphury-yellow flowers. Good for rock garden.

Cheiranthus Linafolia

Cheiranthus Linafolia - A new species from Spain, and is one of the best rock plants introduced.

Cheiranthus Pamela Pershouse

Cheiranthus Pamela Pershouse - a hybrid of the above and C. Allionii. A lovely plant of perennial habit, bearing the clear orange flowers of the last-named species in handsome heads. C. Marshalli is also a fine perennial hybrid sort with flowers of rich orange in large heads. Both are sub-shrubby. Increase by cuttings.