Plant library · Annual Flowers
Matthiola incana
Stock brings fragrant white, pink, and purple flower spikes to cool-season planting areas from spring into early summer. At about 2 feet tall and 1 foot wide, it makes a narrow upright layer for the middle of a bed, adding height without claiming much frontage. Use it where its scent can be appreciated during everyday garden traffic, and allow for its short seasonal stay when planning later plantings.
Set Stock in a sunny border, cutting area, patio bed, or container grouping with a sheltered position and easy reach from a path. Its upright flowering stems suit a band behind low edging plants or a repeated row through the center of a mixed bed. Keep the planting close enough to enjoy the fragrance, but leave a clear route for cutting stems rather than placing it behind broader, later-season plants.[1][2]
Plant on 9-inch centers for a closely knit display, while reserving roughly 1 foot of width per plant as the mature footprint. In a single row, keep the row at least a foot back from the bed edge so foliage and flower stems do not spill into the path. For cutting access, use short blocks reached from both sides instead of a deep, inaccessible drift.
Give Stock full sun and rich soil that stays evenly moist while draining freely. A sunny, sheltered bed helps keep the flowering stems in a bright, usable part of the garden. Avoid sites where water collects around the roots after rain, even if the surrounding bed is otherwise fertile.[1][2]
Treat Stock as an early-season occupant when composing a bed. It flowers in spring and early summer, then can be lifted as its display finishes to open space for a warm-season planting. In regions with cool summers, flowering may continue longer; in hotter conditions, plan for a shorter window of bloom.[1]
Heat is the main layout constraint. Stock begins to decline when temperatures rise above 80°F and also struggles with hot nights, so do not rely on it to carry a sunny border through peak summer. Reserve a follow-on planting area nearby, or weave it among plants scheduled to fill in after spring.[1]
Editorial content updated 2026-07-20.