Erysimum cheiri

RHS Plant Profile
common wallflower

Save a plant

Where do you want to save Erysimum cheiri?

Plants I own
Wishlist
Go to My Plants
common wallflower RHS
common wallflower visionspictures.com
common wallflower visionspictures.com

Other common names

bleeding heart, blodyn y fagwyr, bloody warrior, sauce-alone, wall gilliflower, winter gilliflower, yellow gilliflower

Synonyms

Cheiranthus cheiri, Erysimum suffruticosum

RHS Recommended

Plants for pollinators
Herbaceous Perennial
Buy this from Plant Nurseries
5 Suppliers

A short-lived, evergreen perennial grown as a biennial, with narrow, dark-green foliage and four-petalled, sweetly-scented, bright yellow-orange flowers produced in short spikes in spring. Cultivars are available in a wide range of colours from cream to dark red

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
1–2 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing or East–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H5

RHS Recommended: for People & Planet

RHS Recommended Plants for People & Planet

For Water Resilience

Plants for Flood Resilience

Plants that can help manage heavy rain by catching rainfall, slowing surface run-off, encouraging water into the soil or taking it up through their roots, contributing to flood resilient gardens.

Plants for both Wet and Dry Conditions

Plants that cope with changing soil moisture, including wet winters and extended summer dry. Once established, they grow as wet and dry conditions alternate.

For Temperature Resilience

Plants for Temperature Cooling

Plants that cool air temperature by providing shade, transpiration, or reflection to reduce heat impact on people, animals, soil or other ground surface.

Plants for Wind Shelter

Plants with dense canopies often grown as a tall thick hedge or grouping can block wind and shelter gardens, buildings and people.

For Carbon Storage

Plants for Carbon Storage

Plants that can take up carbon (CO₂) through photosynthesis and store it within the plant or deposit it by their roots into the soil.

For Biodiversity

Plants for Pollinators

Plants that have flowering properties (pollen and/or nectar) that are particularly beneficial for pollinating insects such as bees, butterflies and hoverflies.

Growing conditions for maximum benefit

This plant will provide the maximum benefits if it is healthy and allowed to grow to maturity

For Bio-Diversity

  • Plants for Pollinators

Colour & Scent

Fragrance Flower
Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Brassicaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Bushy
Genus
Erysimum can be annuals, biennials or woody-based perennials with narrow leaves and dense racemes of often fragrant, 4-petalled flowers
Name Status
Correct

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in poor to moderately fertile, well-drained, neutral or, ideally, alkaline soil; full sun is essential

Propagation

Propagate by semi-hardwood cuttings in spring or summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Coastal
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Patio and container plants
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Banks and slopes
  • Flower borders and beds

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs, snails and flea beetles

Diseases

May be susceptible to downy mildews, club root and bacterial leaf blight