Guide to growing Alpine Wallflower Erysimum
Erysimum make up a large genus of plants that can be hardy annual, hardy biennial or hardy perennials in nature. They can range from 15cm to about a metre in size.
They are very similar to true wallflowers hence some of their common names. Some common names for Erysimum include Alpine Wallflower, Coastal Wallflower, Siberian Wallflower and Blister cress.
They have foliage that is lance like and bloom in the spring with yellow or orange four petaled flowers.
Depending on the species they can be used in both rock gardens or in the border.
Some of the latin names of these plants include erysimum cheiri, erysimum cheiranthoides, erysimum linifolium and erysimum allionii,
How to grow Alpine Wallflower (Erysimum)
It depends on the species as to when the Erysimum seeds should be planted out:
1. Annuals: Autumn or spring.
2. Biennials: Start in spring, move in autumn.
3. perennials Spring or Autumn
Seeds should be planted at a depth of about 7mm into a sunny part of the garden that has good drainage. They usually take about two to four weeks to germinate. Alpine wallflowers and other Erysimum members like a dry soil of pH 5 to 8.
Caring for Erysimum species in the garden
Once growing you should care for Alpine and other wallflowers by deadheading after flowering and giving them a mulching in the Autumn. If you require more plants then cuttings should be took in the spring; as Erysimum plants self seed this may not be necessary.