Dame's Rocket - Hesperis matronalis
Above: Dame's Rocket in woods between Duck Pond and Marion Dunn in Madison, Wisconsin. (5/20/19).
Dame's Rocket - Hesperis matronalis (Invasive)
Dame's Rocket is an invasive plant. Dame's rocket is a Eurasian biennial belonging to the mustard family. It was introduced to North America in the 1600's and has naturalized itself in moist, wooded areas, but can also invade open areas.
Dame's rocket has loose clusters of pinkish-purple to white four-petaled flowers on 2 to 4 ft. stems. It is often confused with Garden Phlox. However, Garden phlox has opposite leaves that are smoothed-edged, and they have five-petaled flowers.
Other names include: damask-violet, dame's-violet, dames-wort, dame's gilliflower, night-scented gilliflower, queen's gilliflower, rogue's gilliflower, summer lilac, sweet rocket, mother-of-the-evening, and winter gilliflower.
Above: Above: Dame's Rocket in woods between Marion Dunn and Oak Savanna in Madison, Wisconsin on May 20, 2019.
Above: Above: Dame's Rocket in woods between Marion Dunn and Oak Savanna in Madison, Wisconsin on May 28, 2019.
For more information on Dame's Rocket, visit Wikipedia.
Or, visit the Wisconsin Horticulture Division of Extension website page about Dame's Rocket.
Dame's Rocket
Hesperis matronalis
Above: Dame's Rocket in woods between Marion Dunn and Oak Savanna on May 22, 2019.
Above: Dame's Rocket in woods between Duck Pond and Marion Dunn in Madison, Wisconsin on May 23, 2019.
Above: Dame's Rocket in woods between Duck Pond and Marion Dunn Pond on May 24, 2019.
Above: Dame's Rocket between Duck Pond and Marion Dunn Pond on May 25, 2019.
Above: Dame's Rocket in woods between Marion Dunn and Oak Savanna on May 26, 2019.
Above: Dame's Rocket on shore of Duck Pond on June 8, 2019.
Above: Dame's Rocket near Steven's Pond on June 8, 2019. (NOTE: Dame's Rocket is growing through another plant. Visible oval leaves belong to another plant.)
