The fondness for old-fashioned cottage garden flowers returns as fall gardeners seek alternative or additional specimens to feature with conventional cool-season pansies, violas, and ornamental cabbage and kale.
History of 'Hotcakes'
Matthiola incana is native to southern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.
After Gregor Mendel published his work on genetics in the 19th century, British scientists in the 1800s and 1900s tested Mendel’s theory of inherited characteristics using Matthiola incana. They crossed specimens to study branching vs. nonbranching stems, single vs. double flowers, flower and seed colors, hoary vs. smooth leaves, among other traits.
Today Matthiola species continue to evoke enthusiasm among plant breeders. K. Sahin Zaden B.V., a Dutch breeder and producer of hybrid and open-pollinated flower seed for the global marketplace, has introduced a number of stock series. From 1989-2000 the seed company presented the extra-dwarf double flowered ‘Cinderella’ series of stock to the world.
In 2005 K. Sahin Zaden B.V. introduced ‘Hot Cakes.’ The plants were bred to be compact, full, and fragrant. Spicy scented double flowers come in four colors – purple, pink, rose and white.
Growing 'Hot Cakes'
Matthiola incana ‘Hot Cakes’ requires six hours of sun per day and a well-drained rich soil. Stocks bloom best at temperatures below 75°F. Plants benefit from a monthly dose of liquid fertilizer targeted for annuals.
Transplants may be obtained from garden centers in fall. However, stocks are easy to grow from seed in situ or in flats as long as the soil bed is high in organic matter and well drained. Space transplants 10-12 inches apart.
Seed germinates in about 10 days. Many gardeners start them in a greenhouse or coldframe in cool moist soil. If started in November, they can be ready to set out by late winter.
‘Hot Cakes’ is referred to as a ‘ten-week stock’ because blooms come 10 weeks after germination. Fast maturity makes ‘Hot Cakes’ a good candidate to sow in succession. Deadheading spent blooms spurs continuous flowering.
Stock is vulnerable to insect injury from aphids, spider mites, and white fly, which are controlled with insecticidal soaps. Fungal diseases on foliage such as leaf spot and powdery mildew can be minimized with cultural practices listed below:
- Water the base of plant not leaves
- Water in the morning rather than evening
- Space plants to avoid overcrowding
- Remove debris from around plant
‘Hot Cakes’ in the Landscape
The 12-inch tall plants are perfect in pots, window boxes, beds, and borders. The grey-green leaves with undulating margins give textural interest. Intersperse stock among sweet alyssum, diascia, dianthus, pansies, and viola in fall in USDA hardiness zones 7-8. They make long-lasting vase cut flowers too.
The stamina of stock in the garden comes, in part, from family genetics. Stock is a member of the Brassicaceas or cabbage family known for its cool-season food crops. The trio of flowering cabbage, kale and stock cousins creates decorative displays.
If you are a fan of fragrance, place stock near entranceways and walkways. In spring stock’s nectar attracts the first butterflies of the season.
Think Theme Gardens
Stock is an essential choice for many kinds of theme gardens:
- Fragrance gardens
- Butterfly gardens
- Rose gardens
- Cottage gardens
- Elizabethan gardens
- Victorian gardens
Once ‘Hot Cakes’ delivers its perfume to your place, consider exploring the virtues of other stock series or types including ‘Cheerful,’ ‘Cinderella,’ ‘Column,’ ‘Harmony,’ ‘Katz,’ ‘Legacy,’ ‘Midget’, ‘Miracle,’ ‘Stockpot,’ and ‘Vintage.’
Sources
- Armitage, Alan. Armitage’s Manual of Annuals, Biennials, and Half-Hardy Perennials. Portland: Timber Press, 2001.
- Damrosch, Barbara. Theme Gardens. New York: Workman Publishing, 1982.
- K. Sahin and Zaben B.V. website
- Winter, Norman. “Pile ‘Hot Cakes’ Into Your Garden Beds for Fragrance,” Star-Telegram website posted November 18, 2011.
Arlene Marturano - Arlene Marturano, an educator, consultant, master gardener, and writer advocates gardens as a context and gardening as a tool for ...
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