Dame’s rocket Hesperis matronalis

[Durgan]

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?MHWQP 6 June 2015 Dame’s rocket
Hesperis matronalis, Dame’s rocket, is a most pleasant smelling wildflower is not native to NA. It is considered a noxious weed, but this year there are few, since many didn’t survive the severe winter. Most years the uncultivated disturbed areas are covered with these blooms. It is sometimes confused with phlox, but the flower has four petals and the phlox has five.Colors are white and shades of purple

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[Mockingbird]

I have had this plant in my yard for years and think it is beautiful, strangely for being an invasive plant I have never had it spread as much as the milkweed does. This year on this side of the pond I have actually noticed that we have far more dames rocket then last summer, I am not certain but it seems to me like every other year it does well, I am sure that is just my imagination, but regardless this is one beautiful flower in the fields along the roads. I also noticed that the bugle weed did very well despite all the snow.

 

[grouie]

Even roses were once considered wild. Hope this flower attains the status of a cultivated flower. Pretty.

 

[claudine]

How can anyone consider this plant a weed? It's so beautiful! I would love to see it with my own eyes and be able to smell it

 

[IcyBC]

Wow..What gorgeous little flowers and the color is absolutely pretty! I want this weed in my garden

 

[Beth_B]

Interesting....apparently phlox and dame's rocket are easily confused:
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/05/dont_confuse_dames_rocket_with.html

I always thought what flowers beautifully everywhere here in June was phlox, but perhaps it's dame's rocket? I've got a ton of it my yard, but it's done flowering now so I can't go count petals.
Invasive weed or not, I love it.

Update: What I have isn't phlox, it's dame's rocket! I found a few lingering flowers with four petals, not five, and the leaves are just as described. Plus phlox blooms later in the summer.
Learn something new every day.