the swan & the diva

They do smell wonderful, don't they? I love your scent description.
There seems to be some confusion over this species.
There are two species that people lump together under the name evening scented stock.
I ordered some evening stock seeds last year and depending on the source got Matthiola longipetala which smelled okay but not anywhere close to the glorious scent of Matthiola bicornis. I believe I received M. bicornis seeds from Thompson & Morgan. The other seeds I ordered off various vendors on Amazon (and got the okay smelling M. longipetala species).
Your post has reminded me that I need to sow some M. bicornis seeds to hopefully get some fall blooms.
Thank you! :)

-Robert

Here's a pic showing both varieties growing in the same pot. The shorter rounded heart shaped petals variety is the one that just smells okay. It's the taller longer petals variety that smells heavenly! :)

-Robert

Oh i see, thank you 4 the pic. i ordered from seedsandmore, glad they gave me the stronger bicornis. i see other types of stock seeds for sale which look very different & wonder if they are as fragrant, if the fragrance is of a different type, or if there is a wide variety of 'stock'.
i'll have these popping out of every container possible & can't wait to have them hanging around front & back doors. its wiry hang appeals to my aesthetic.
maybe you will see some blooms this fall. i won't underestimate this plant again :D

I actually don't know the correct botanical name for the heavenly scented one. I just suggest looking for the longer petals, wispy ones. :)
I checked in the fridge and I also ordered from Seed Savers Exchange. Their picture is of the long petals so I'll plant half the pot with them and the other from T&M and see if I get the awesome smelling kind from both companies!
Thanks again for posting this and reminding me how much I love evening scented stock.
If we have another mild winter I think there will be plenty of time for mine to bloom before the first frost since they are cold tolerant. ;)

-Robert

i think it is indeed bicornis. seedsandmore identifies it as such on their site & on my empty seed packet.

but then, Renee's offers Mattiola incana, "ten week stock". I love her sweet pea seeds and may order this incana, but the caliber is set pretty high now for stock! and the wiki page for incana says that bicornis & longipetala are synonymous, so going by the picture & looking for longer petals is maybe the best way after all.

~spazplant