ExplorePlants

dame's rocket

Hesperis matronalis

Dame's rocket is a colorful flower that blooms in spring and early summer. It has lovely purple, pink, or white petals and grows in clusters, making gardens and fields look beautiful!

Habitat: Urban areas, meadows

Appearance

The dame's rocket has tall, branching stems topped with loose clusters of four-petaled flowers, often in shades of purple, pink, or white. Its lance-shaped leaves are sharply serrated, giving the plant a graceful yet wild appearance that can be distinguished from similar phlox flowers by its four petals.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderBrassicalesFamilyBrassicaceaeGenusHesperis
dame's rocket
flowering trait badgebiennial trait badgecluster_flower trait badgespring_blooming trait badge
dame's rocket

Category

Plants

Rarity

Common

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Snaps

147

Interesting facts

Dame's rocket once had young leaves used in medieval salads!

Despite its beauty, it can outcompete native plants easily!

Its nighttime perfume is strongest, guiding moths in the dark!

This flower's seeds can stay viable in soil for years, waiting!

Special abilities

Ability

Scented Navigator

Dame's rocket releases a sweet, strong fragrance, especially at night, which helps it attract nocturnal pollinators like moths.

Ability

Seed Bank Strategist

Dame's rocket seeds can remain viable in the soil for several years, helping it sprout when conditions are just right.

Ability

Resource Hoarder

As a biennial, it dedicates its first year to growing a strong root system, which helps it store energy to burst into abundant bloom the second year.

Measurements & details

Height
60-120 cm
Spread
30-60 cm
Flower Size
2-3 cm
Bloom Season
Late spring to early summer
Edible
Yes
Toxicity
Mild
Lifecycle
Biennial
Pollination Method
Insect

Ecological connections

pollinates

Honey bee

Apis mellifera

collects nectar and pollen

pollinates

Common Eastern Bumble Bee

Bombus impatiens

visits flowers for nectar

pollinates

Bedstraw Hawk-moth

Hyles gallii

attracted by nighttime fragrance

pollinates

Painted Lady butterfly

Vanessa cardui

sips nectar from blooms

Traits

Also known as

Rocket flowerSweet rocket

Collections

Safety

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Do not eat any part of the plant without asking an adult first.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to identify dame's rocket?

The easiest way to identify dame's rocket is to use the Snappit nature identifier app.

How tall is dame's rocket?

60-120 cm

How wide does dame's rocket spread?

30-60 cm

How big are the flowers on dame's rocket?

2-3 cm

When does dame's rocket bloom?

Late spring to early summer

Is dame's rocket edible?

Yes

Is dame's rocket toxic?

Mild

What is dame's rocket's lifecycle?

Biennial

Snap Map

Zoom in to split clusters and explore where this object has been snapped.

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Where to spot

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