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Mignonette 'Machet'
Mignonette 'Machet'
Mignonette 'Machet'
Seed Packet

Mignonette 'Machet'

Reseda odorata
We can't be without this small delight, and bees love it too! The small spikes of fringed, pale salmon flowers possess a wonderful sweet fragrance with overtones of raspberry. Napoleon brought this seed back from Egypt for his Josephine. She was entranced and named it 'mignonette' or 'little darling.' E.A. Bowles wrote in 1914, 'I like to place mignonette in a cut glass bowl, it is so cool and fresh in its green and gold and a spangling of silver and a ruby here and there that brightens it at close quarters.' The variety 'Machet' was offered in an 1886 garden catalog, which described it as having "deliciously scented red flowers. Entirely distinct." Sow outdoors in early spring.
SKU #S358
$3.25
Details
Approximate Seeds Per Packet
562
Lifecycle
Annual
Annual Hardiness
Hardy Annual
Mature Size
1' h x 6" w
Sun
Full sun to partial shade
Soil
Rich, moist, well-drained, neutral to alkaline pH
Season
Summer to fall
Color
Greenish white with salmon stamens
Features
Great Cut Flower
Attracts Bees
Notable
Certified Organic Seed Available
SOWING INSTRUCTIONS
Depth:
Surface sow and press in lightly; requires light for germination.
Sprout Time:
5-10 days
Seed To Bloom:
8-12 weeks
Starting Indoors:
Not recommended.
Starting Outdoors:
Direct sow in early spring; fall to late winter zones 8-10.
PLACEMENT & CULTIVATION
Mignonette has a long history in gardens. Native to Egypt, it was said to be one of the flowers strewn in tombs to fragrance the eternal rest of the mummified. In the early 1800s, it was fashionable to possess a winter bouquet of mignonette fresh from the fields in the south of France. Mignonette Machet has small spikes of fringed, pale salmon flowers advertising an ambrosial scent that includes overtones of violet and raspberry that attract all the honeybees in the vicinity. Pinch tips when plants reach about 6" tall to encourage branching and fullness. It will continue blooming in cooler summer areas until fall; afternoon shade is beneficial in hotter climates.
Final Spacing:
6"
Water Requirements:
Medium Water Use
Watering Details:
About 1" per week; do not overwater.
Soil pH:
Neutral to alkaline.
Fertilizer:
Mix about 2-4" of compost into soil prior to planting if soil is not rich. Feed monthly with a balanced organic fertilizer.
Diseases & Pests:
Avoid fungal leaf spots by placing in an area with good air circulation.
When to Cut for Bouquets:
Harvest when 1/2 of the florets are open.