Cut-leaf mignonette

Reseda lutea L.

Reseda lutea, commonly known as wild mignonette or yellow mignonette, is a flowering plant belonging to the Resedaceae family. It is native to Europe and North Africa but has naturalized in various parts of the world. Here's a detailed description:

Botanical Description:

  1. Habit:

    • Wild mignonette is a biennial or short-lived perennial herbaceous plant.

  2. Height:

    • It typically grows to a height of 30 to 80 centimeters (12 to 31 inches).

  3. Leaves:

    • The leaves are alternate, lanceolate, and deeply lobed or toothed.

  4. Inflorescence:

    • The flowers are small and inconspicuous, arranged in elongated spikes.

  5. Flowers:

    • Each flower has five greenish-yellow petals and is fragrant, emitting a sweet, pleasant scent.

  6. Fruit:

    • The fruit is a capsule that contains numerous small seeds.

Identification Tips:

  • Yellow Flowers:

    • The small, greenish-yellow flowers are a distinctive feature.

  • Fragrance:

    • The flowers are known for their sweet fragrance.

  • Lobed Leaves:

    • The lanceolate leaves are deeply lobed or toothed.

Ecological Role:

  • Habitat:
    • Wild mignonette is often found in disturbed areas, along roadsides, and in waste places.

Uses:

  • Fragrance:
    • The plant is sometimes grown for its fragrant flowers, and the fragrance is sometimes used in perfumery.

Conservation Status:

  • Invasiveness:
    • In some regions, wild mignonette may become weedy or invasive.

Cultivation:

  • Soil and Sun:

    • It thrives in well-draining soil and prefers full sunlight.

  • Propagation:

    • Wild mignonette can be propagated from seeds.

Caution:

  • Invasive Potential:
    • Depending on the local conditions, wild mignonette may have the potential to become invasive, and caution should be exercised in its cultivation.