Virginia Stock (Malcolmia): Description, Planting and Care

Virginia stock (Malcolmia) is a modest but very rewarding annual that flowers just a month after sowing and fills the garden with a light honey scent. Here is what the plant looks like, where it comes from and how to grow it in a flower bed or on a balcony.

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What kind of plant it is

Malcolmia maritima belongs to the cabbage family (Brassicaceae) and is a relative of stocks (Matthiola). Despite its English name, Virginia stock does not come from America but from the coasts of Greece and Albania. The genus is named after William Malcolm, an 18th-century English nurseryman.

The plant is low-growing, usually 15–30 cm, with thin branching stems and greyish leaves. Its small four-petalled flowers come in lilac, pink, magenta and white, often with a pale eye. The scent grows stronger in the evening.

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Planting Virginia stock

Virginia stock is rarely grown from transplants: sow the seeds directly outdoors as soon as the soil warms up, usually from April. Cover them lightly with soil; seedlings appear in 1–2 weeks. Thin them to 10–15 cm apart.

Each flush of flowers lasts about a month, so to enjoy blooms all summer, sow a new batch every 3–4 weeks until the end of June. In regions with mild winters it can also be sown in autumn for earlier flowering.

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Caring for Virginia stock

• Position. Sun or light partial shade. It does best in cool weather and flowers less in intense heat.
• Soil. Light and well-drained. Rich soil and frequent feeding are unnecessary — too much fertiliser makes plants leggy with fewer flowers.
• Watering. Moderate, mainly during dry spells. It dislikes waterlogging.
• Pests. It is rarely troubled, but like other brassicas it can be attacked by flea beetles, especially in hot, dry weather.
• After flowering, pull out the plants and sow new ones, or let them set seed: Virginia stock often self-seeds in the same spot the following year.

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Where to use Virginia stock

With its low, dense carpet of flowers, Virginia stock is ideal for edging, rockeries, gaps between paving stones, window boxes and containers. It is often recommended for children's gardens: it germinates quickly and flowers within a few weeks, so the results are visible almost immediately.

It is not the best choice for bouquets, as its stems are short and its flowers small. In the garden, however, it pairs beautifully with forget-me-nots, sweet alyssum, pansies and night-scented stock.

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FAQ

When does Virginia stock flower?

About 4–6 weeks after sowing. With successive sowings, flowering can be stretched from late spring to autumn.

Should Virginia stock be grown from seedlings?

No, it is sown directly outdoors — it does not transplant well.

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Author: Maria Svitlovir

Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.

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