Dame’s Rocket

Dame’s Rocket (Hesperis matronalis)

Report

Photo credit: Rob Routledge, Sault College, Bugwood.org

Management Strategy

Synonyms

Sweet Rocket, Dame’s Violet

ID Characteristics

General: Dame’s Rocket is a perennial or biennial herb that grows 0.5 – 1.3 m tall.

Flowers: The fragrant flowers are 15 – 25mm in size. They are often purple but may also be pink or white.

Stem: Dame’s Rocket produces a tall, erect flower stem. The stem is covered in fine hairs.

Leaves: The plant produces low rosettes in the first year of growth. Leaves are narrow, egg-shaped, and saw-toothed, 1.5 to 20cm long. They grow in an alternate pattern along the stem.

Fruit: Small, brown seeds are contained in capsules (siliques) that are 4 – 10cm long, 1 – 2mm wide.

Roots: Main taproot with coarse secondary roots.

Similar Species

Purple Loosestrife flower (B. Klinkenberg)

Invasive:

Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) has 5 – 7 petals per flower in dense clusters, while Dame’s Rocket flowers have 4 petals per flower.

Garden Phlox, Dow Gardens, Bugwood.org

Non-native:

Garden Phlox (Phlox paniculata) has 5 petals and opposite leaves, while Dame’s Rocket has alternate leaves.

Habitat and Origin

Dame’s Rocket is originally from Eurasia, and was introduced to Canada as an ornamental plant.

This plant prefers moderately dry to dry soil, and can be found growing near disturbed areas, roadsides or open woodlands. It thrives in areas with hot summers and avoids acidic soils.

How it Spreads

Dame’s Rocket is a prolific seed producer and spreads by seed.

Dame‘s Rocket is sold as an ornamental plant in garden centers across Canada, and it can also be sold in wildflower seed mixes. This plant spreads by seeds, which are easily dispersed by wind.

Impacts

Ecological:

Chokes out native vegetation, which reduces biodiversity.
Can harbour dangerous plant diseases.

Economic:

Hosts viruses that have the potential to infect vegetable crops.

Stop the Spread

Dame’s Rocket is found in the Sea to Sky region and its distribution is beyond landscape-level control. When Dame’s Rocket is present at high-priority locations and negatively impacting them, their control is considered a high priority.

Learn to identify Dame’s Rocket: use the images presented in this profile page to learn how to identify Dame’s Rocket.

What to do if you spot it: You can report any Dame’s Rocket sighting by visiting our reporting page.

DO:

Regularly monitor properties for weed infestations.
Ensure soil and gravel are uncontaminated before transport.
Check wildflower mixes to ensure that they do not contain Dame’s Rocket.
Ensure that plants are disposed of in a garbage bag if found in floral arrangements to prevent seeds from spreading.
Minimize soil disturbances (e.g., use grazing plants that prevent soil exposure from overgrazing), and use seed mixes with dense, early colonization (e.g., alfalfa or barley) to re-vegetate exposed soil and resist invasion.

DO NOT:

Unload, park or store equipment or vehicles in infested areas; remove plant material from any equipment, vehicles or clothing used in such areas and wash equipment and vehicles at designated cleaning sites before leaving infested areas.
Plant Dame’s Rocket in a garden, no matter how well-contained its enclosure may seem.
Move soil that has been contaminated with Dame’s Rocket.
Compost Dame’s Rocket!

Control

Mechanical

Hand-pulling can be effective for small infestations, but it may increase seed germination because it’s disturbing the soil. Be sure to remove the taproot or it may re-sprout.

Chemical

Glyphosate can be used to control Dame’s Rocket. It is best applied before any seeds have been produced.

We recommend that any herbicide application is carried out by a person holding a valid BC Pesticide Applicator Certificate. Before selecting and applying herbicides, you must review and follow herbicide labels and application rates; municipal, regional, provincial and federal laws and regulations; species-specific treatment recommendations, and site-specific goals and objectives.

Biological

No biological control methods are available in BC at this time.