Native to Asia Minor, this evergreen herbaceous perennial is a member of the mustard family, Brassicaceae, that also includes cabbage, broccoli, and alyssum. The plant forms a tuft of foliage 3-6″ high with narrow basal leaves that are 1/2″ long and finely toothed. In spring, dense racemes of fragrant, 1/2″ long yellow flowers appear. The plants are valued for mixed borders in rock gardens, or cascading over a wall or container. The flowers are long lasting in the vase. Alpine wallflower does well in hot, dry sites and is often used in the South to add color to the fall garden. The genus name, Erysimum, is from the Greek word eryo meaning to drag . The specific epithet, kotschyanum, honors Theodor Kotschy, 19th century Austrian botanist .
Type: Short-lived evergreen herbaceous perennial often grown as annual
Bloom: Dense racemes of fragrant yellow flowers in spring
Size: 3-6″ H x 12″ W
Light: Full sun to partial shade in the South
Soil: Average, medium moist, well-drained, alkaline
Hardiness: Zones 4-8
Care: Trim to prevent legginess
Pests and Diseases: Slugs, snails, fleabeetles, downy mildew, clubroot
Propagation: Seed, terminal cuttings immediately after flowering or in the fall, division in the fall
Companion Plants: Veronica ‘Georgia Blue’, crocus, forsythia, lavender, candytuft
Outstanding Selections: None Available
Photo Credit: Ghislain Wikipedia