Fragrant Stock Flower Live Plant – Perennial Matthiola Starter Plugs

Overview

Introduce delightful fragrance and stunning beauty to your garden with the fragrant stock flower live plant. These exquisite Matthiola plants are cherished for their dense clusters of blooms and captivating aroma, making them a favorite among gardeners and florists alike. Our matthiola starter plugs provide a robust foundation for establishing these charming annuals (often grown as perennials in suitable climates) in your home garden or farm. Stock flowers thrive in cooler temperatures, making them an excellent choice for spring and fall displays, offering vibrant color and an intoxicating scent that transforms any space. Whether you’re creating a cut flower garden or simply enhancing your landscape, the stock flower delivers consistent beauty and an unforgettable sensory experience.

We offer two exceptional types: StoX, a breakthrough in Matthiola breeding known for its muted, antiqued colors and strong stems, and Katz stock, famous for its vibrant, clear hues and early blooming. Both varieties are highly valued for their fragrance and high percentage of double flowers, ensuring a lush and appealing display.

Key Benefits

Cultivating a fragrant stock flower live plant offers numerous advantages, from aesthetic appeal to practical uses. These plants are a must-have for anyone looking to add beauty and aroma to their outdoor spaces.

• Exquisite Fragrance: Stock flowers are renowned for their sweet, clove-like scent, which can perfume an entire garden or indoor arrangement, creating a truly inviting atmosphere.
• Stunning Visual Appeal: With dense spikes of blossoms in a variety of colors, these plants provide a striking vertical element to garden beds, borders, and containers, enhancing overall curb appeal.
• Ideal for Cut Flowers: Highly prized by florists, stock flowers make exceptional cut flowers due to their long vase life, strong stems, and beautiful form, perfect for bouquets and arrangements.
• Cool Season Performer: Thrives in cooler spring and fall temperatures, extending your garden’s blooming season when many other plants are winding down or yet to begin. This makes them perfect for growing stock flowers in shoulder seasons.
• Versatile Garden Addition: Suitable for mixed beds, cottage gardens, containers, and even as a fragrant border plant, offering flexibility in garden design.
• Attracts Pollinators: While primarily grown for human enjoyment, the fragrant blooms can also attract beneficial pollinators to your garden.
• Relatively Low Maintenance: Once established, these plants require straightforward care, making them accessible even for novice gardeners interested in perennial stock flower varieties.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your fragrant stock flower live plant ensures a bountiful display of beautiful, scented blooms. These plants prefer specific conditions to truly flourish, especially during their growth phase. They thrive in cooler temperatures, ideally between 35-50°F for establishment, and will stop blooming once temperatures become too hot. For best results, plant your matthiola starter plugs immediately upon arrival to allow their strong tap roots to establish quickly.

Sunlight: Provide full sun to partial shade. In hotter climates, partial shade during the hottest part of the day can help prolong blooming. Aim for at least 6 hours of direct sunlight for optimal flower production. Soil: Stock flowers prefer fertile, moist, and well-drained soil. Amend heavy clay soils with compost to improve drainage and aeration. A slightly alkaline pH (6.5-7.5) is ideal. Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged, especially during dry spells. Avoid overhead watering to prevent fungal diseases. Transplanting: Transplant seedlings within one week of arrival, spacing them approximately 6 inches apart. If you receive multiple seedlings per plug, do not separate them as they prefer growing closely together. This close spacing can actually increase stem length. Support: As the plants grow, a layer of support netting may be beneficial to prevent taller stems from flopping, especially if you’re growing stock flowers for cut flower production. Fertilization: A balanced, slow-release fertilizer at planting time can encourage strong growth. Avoid over-fertilizing, which can lead to lush foliage at the expense of flowers. Harvesting: Harvest flowers when they are about two-thirds open. Don’t cut too early, as buds may not continue to open fully once cut. Remember, the cooler you grow stock, the better the quality of the blooms will be. Don’t be concerned if you see buds forming on short plants; they will add significant height from bud initiation to harvest.

Size & Details

Each fragrant stock flower live plant is supplied as a thriving seedling in a small plug-size container, typically 1 inch x 1 inch x 1 1/4 inches. The size of individual plants may vary naturally, as they are living organisms. These matthiola starter plugs are ready for immediate transplanting into your garden or larger containers. Stock flowers are typically grown as annuals, but in USDA zones with mild winters, they can behave as a perennial stock flower. They are known for their rapid growth and can reach heights of 18-36 inches, depending on the variety and growing conditions, with a spread of about 6-12 inches. Expect blooms in spring and fall, with a consistent flowering period in cooler temperatures. These plants develop a strong tap root, which is why prompt planting is crucial for successful establishment. They are perfect for creating a vibrant and aromatic display in your garden.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this fragrant stock flower live plant get? A: Stock flowers typically grow to a height of 18-36 inches, with a spread of 6-12 inches. The exact size can vary depending on the specific variety and your growing conditions.
• Q: What size plug does the matthiola starter come in? A: Each seedling is provided in a small plug-size container, measuring approximately 1 inch x 1 inch x 1 1/4 inches, ready for transplanting.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: Stock flowers are primarily outdoor plants, thriving in garden beds or outdoor containers. While they can be brought indoors briefly for enjoyment, they are not suited for long-term indoor cultivation.
• Q: How much sunlight does the fragrant stock flower need? A: These plants perform best with full sun to partial shade, ideally receiving at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. In very hot climates, some afternoon shade is beneficial.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Yes, stock flowers are considered relatively easy to care for, especially when their basic needs for cool temperatures, consistent moisture, and well-drained soil are met. They are a good choice for gardeners of all experience levels who are interested in growing stock flowers.
• Q: What condition will the fragrant stock flower live plant arrive in? A: Your matthiola starter plugs will arrive as healthy, young seedlings with a strong root system, carefully packaged to ensure their safe transit. Some minor leaf yellowing may occur during shipping but the plant will recover.
• Q: When is the best time to plant these perennial stock flower varieties? A: The ideal planting times are in early spring or fall, as stock flowers thrive in cooler temperatures. They will establish best when temperatures are between 35-50°F.
• Q: Can I separate the seedlings if there are two in one plug? A: It is recommended not to separate seedlings if you receive two in one plug. They prefer growing closely together, and this close spacing can actually help increase stem length without negatively affecting flower quality.
• Q: How long until the fragrant stock flower live plant blooms? A: Stock flowers typically bloom in spring and fall, depending on planting time and climate. They can add significant height from the time of bud initiation to harvest.
• Q: What kind of soil is best for growing stock flowers? A: They prefer fertile, moist, and well-drained soil. Amending with compost is beneficial for soil health and drainage.