Smelly Wallflower: What You Need to Know About This Lesser-Known Garden Plant
If you’ve stumbled across the name smelly wallflower in your gardening research, you might be wondering whether this oddly-named plant deserves a spot in your garden. With the botanical name Erysimum odoratum, this lesser-known member of the wallflower family has an admittedly unflattering common name, but don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s not worth considering.
The Basics: What Is Smelly Wallflower?
Smelly wallflower (Erysimum odoratum) is a forb—essentially a non-woody flowering plant that lacks the thick, woody stems you’d find on shrubs or trees. This biennial or perennial plant belongs to the mustard family and has been classified as a non-native species that has naturalized in parts of the United States.
You might also encounter this plant listed under its synonym, Erysimum pannonicum, so don’t be confused if you see both names floating around in gardening resources.
Where You’ll Find It
Currently, smelly wallflower has been documented growing in Massachusetts, though its presence may be more widespread than records indicate. As an introduced species, it has managed to establish itself and reproduce without human intervention in this region.
The Garden Reality Check
Here’s where things get a bit tricky for gardeners: there’s surprisingly little detailed information available about Erysimum odoratum specifically. While many of its wallflower cousins are well-documented garden favorites, this particular species seems to fly under the radar in most horticultural references.
What we do know is that as a forb, it’s likely to be a relatively low-growing plant that produces flowers, but specifics about its appearance, size, and growing requirements remain elusive in most gardening resources.
Should You Plant It?
Given that smelly wallflower is non-native and there’s limited information about its garden performance or ecological impact, you might want to consider some alternatives. If you’re drawn to the wallflower family, there are several well-documented native options that could serve your garden better:
- Native mustard family plants that support local pollinators
- Regional wildflowers with proven garden performance
- Established perennial forbs native to your area
The Bottom Line
While smelly wallflower isn’t necessarily a plant to avoid, the lack of available growing information makes it a bit of a gamble for most gardeners. If you’re interested in supporting local ecosystems, focusing on well-documented native plants will give you more predictable results and greater environmental benefits.
That said, if you do encounter this plant growing wild in Massachusetts and are curious about its potential, observe how it behaves in its naturalized setting. Just remember that choosing native alternatives is generally the safer bet for both your garden’s success and your local ecosystem’s health.
The gardening world is full of mysteries, and Erysimum odoratum appears to be one of them. Sometimes the most interesting plants are the ones that keep a little mystery about themselves!
