Short-lived Mediterranean perennial usually grown as a winter or spring annual, with dense spikes of single or double clove-fragrant flowers in white, pink, mauve, red, or purple.
Hardiness ratings
| System | Rating | Temperature range | How to read it |
|---|---|---|---|
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 7–10 | −17.8 °C to 4.4 °C | Zones where it can be grown as an annual — not a frost-tolerance rating |
| RHS hardiness rating | H3 | −5 °C to 1 °C | Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance |
| Canadian plant hardiness zone | Zone 8–9 | −7 °C and warmer | Zones where it can be grown as an annual — not a frost-tolerance rating |
| Australian (ANBG) zone | Zone 2–6 | −10 °C to 15 °C | Zones where it can be grown as an annual — not a frost-tolerance rating |
As a tender annual, Stocks (Gillyflower) doesn't overwinter — the zone range shows where the growing season supports it. See the RHS rating for its actual cold tolerance.
Growing notes
- Plant as cool-season bedding and as a cut flower — fragrant, long-lasting in the vase, traditional winter and spring cut flower of southern Europe and the Mediterranean
- Distinct clove fragrance — strongest in the daytime, used historically for traditional pillow sachets
- Annual cultivars (Brompton, Cinderella, Mathilda series) most widely grown — sow in summer for autumn through to spring bedding in mild climates
- Resents heat — flowers fade rapidly in hot weather, treat as cool-season only
Categories
Related plants
Cross-check Stocks (Gillyflower) against your zones