This European introduction has successfully escaped from gardens and can be seen growing on roadside verges miles away from habitation all over the country. It flowers later than Lunaria annua (Honesty) but the paler versions of Honesty do look a bit like Hesperis matronalis at first glance. The leaves are slightly serrated, long and pointed. The fruits can be very long and can't really be mistaken for anything else except Matthiola sp perhaps but that would be very rare and growing at the seaside only.

H. matronalis has successfully naturalised itself in England, most of Wales, southern and north eastern Scotland and most of Ireland.

LHS: Minera, North Wales, 17th May 2005 RHS Chee Dale, Derbyshire 15th June 2006

Added on 1st June 2005, updated 6th February 2009, updated 7th April 2010