Damask-violet

Landscape Uses:Border, Massing, Specimen, Woodland garden. Prefers a rich moist well-drained soil, succeeding in full sun or semi-shade[111, 244]. Requires a neutral to alkaline soil. Prefers an alkaline soil. Tolerates poor soils[200, 233]. Grows well in damp, shady or grassy places. Established plants are drought resistant. Plants are hardy to about -20°c. A very ornamental plant, it is a short-lived perennial and is often grown as a biennial. A good bee, butterfly and moth plant, it is a specific food plant for the orange-tip butterfly[17, 30, 200]. The flowers are very aromatic with a clove-like fragrance, this is especially apparent in the evening[188, 245]. They usually have very little scent during the day and thus obtained a reputation in folk-lore for deceit. The plant is sometimes cultivated for the essential oil contained in its seed. Special Features:Not North American native, Naturalizing, Attracts butterflies, Suitable for cut flowers, Fragrant flowers. References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information Temperature Converter Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit: Celsius Fahrenheit: The PFAF Bookshop Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants , Edible Perennials , Edible Trees , Edible Shrubs , Woodland Gardening , and Temperate Food Forest Plants . Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical) . Shop Now

Edible Parts: Leaves Oil Seed Edible Uses: Oil Young leaves - raw. Rich in vitamin C, they are used as a cress substitute in salads[183, 244]. A rather bitter flavour, though many people like the extra tang it gives to salads. For culinary purposes, the leaves should be picked before the plant flowers. The seed can be sprouted and added to salads. The seed contains 50% of an edible oil - there is a potential for cultivation[74, 177]. References More on Edible Uses

Seed - sow spring in an outdoor seedbed and plant them out in late summer. Germination should take place within 3 weeks. The seed can also be sown in early spring in a warm greenhouse. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in late spring. The seed can also be sown in July for planting out in the following spring. Division. Plants are short-lived perennials, division may not be worthwhile. Cuttings in summer 7cm long in a shady border. Only done with named varieties being grown for ornament, it is not worthwhile otherwise.