Japanese name: ニオイアラセイトウ（匂紫羅欄花） Scientific name:Erysimum cheiri
[Overview]
A biennial or short-lived perennial about 15–80 cm tall.
The stems branch.
The leaves are simple and alternate, 4–7 cm long, oblong-ovate to needle-like linear.
The leaf margins are entire.
A raceme at the stem tip bears many 4-petaled flowers 2–3 cm across.
The flowers are fragrant.
The flower color is usually yellow, but there are also red, orange, purple, brown, white and cream, and some cultivars have double flowers.
The fruit is a silique.
[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed or by shoot cuttings.
It prefers a sunny, well-drained, well-ventilated place.
It dislikes heat and humidity.
Take care not to overwater; for potted plants, water thoroughly after the soil has dried, and for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient.
For plants in the ground, no fertilizer is particularly needed if basal fertilizer is applied; for potted plants, place slow-release fertilizer on the soil in spring and autumn.
Cutting back to about half the height after flowering makes it easier to get through the summer.
Pests and diseases include sclerotinia rot, gray mold, aphids and diamondback moths.
