Seasonal Wild Flowers

Latin name

Erysimum linifolium

Other names

Erysimum Bowles' Mauve, Erysimum linifolium Bowles’s

Mauve, Wallflower Bowles' Mauve

Family

Brassicaceae

Flowering season

March to October (limited flowering may occur all-year

round in milder areas).

English distribution

It is widely cultivated throughout the country.

The escape is found mainly around large conurbations

such as Greater London and the home counties.

For a map see the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland –

Perennial Wallflower

Habitat

Wallflowers are archeophytes introduced into the UK by

the Normans. Perennial Wallflower is a relatively recent

cultivar of unknown origin. It has been extensively grown

in UK gardens since the 1970s and won many accolades

in the gardening press.

It was Shortlisted for the Chelsea Plant of the Centenary

for the decade 1973-1982.

It has escaped from cultivation in a few places and

become naturalised, particularly around Greater London.

Description

Perennial Wallflower is a bushy evergreen perennial

growing up to 75cm.

The flowers are on loose spikes (racemes) and are

mainly mauve but may be red of orange.

They are 2cm across and have 4 veined petals and 4

purple sepals.

There are 6 stamens. Two are outer and shorter and

4 are inner and larger.

The style is cylindrical and the stigma is capitate and

2- lobed.

The fruits are cylindical, flattened and valved.They are

shorter than in other forms of garden Wallflower.

Not many fertile seeds are produced and this may limit

its spread.

Leaves are narrow, lanceolate and grey-green.

The stems are branched and the base is woody.