Erysimum cheiri TALL Ivory White | English Wallflower

TALL Ivory White is a beautiful English Wallflower with softly scented, light ivory-white flowers that can occasionally develop a delicate lemon-yellow tint. The abundant flower clusters rise above attractive, bushy foliage and bring the unmistakable charm of a traditional cottage garden.

Wallflowers have been grown as ornamental garden plants for centuries and are especially beautiful planted among tulips and other spring-flowering bulbs. TALL Ivory White also provides a valuable source of nectar for bees and other beneficial insects.

Despite the name TALL, this particular variety generally remains relatively compact and bushy, reaching approximately 40–50 cm in height.

Plant Information

• Scientific name: Erysimum cheiri
• Synonym: Cheiranthus cheiri
• Common name: English Wallflower / Common Wallflower
• Variety: TALL Ivory White
• Flower colour: Light ivory-white, occasionally with soft lemon-yellow tones
• Height: Approximately 40–50 cm
• Plant habit: Bushy, upright
• Life cycle: Biennial or short-lived perennial
• Blooming period: Spring to early summer
• Position: Full sun
• Soil: Well-drained
• Fragrance: Sweetly scented
• Uses: Borders, cottage gardens, containers and cut flowers
• Pollinator friendly: Yes – attractive to bees and other beneficial insects

How to Grow from Seed

Wallflowers are traditionally grown as biennials, with seeds sown during summer to produce flowering plants the following spring.

Sow the seeds into trays or pots containing a fine, moist seed-starting substrate. Cover the seeds lightly with fine substrate or vermiculite and keep evenly moist, but not waterlogged.

Maintain approximately 20°C during germination. Under suitable conditions, germination usually takes around 7–10 days.

Once the seedlings are large enough to handle, transplant them individually and continue growing them on before planting outside.

For traditional spring flowering, sow during summer, approximately June to August. Plants establish during the first season and flower the following spring.

Seeds can also be sown directly outdoors during summer. Thin or transplant the young plants as they develop.

Planting and Care

Choose a sunny position with well-drained soil. Good drainage is particularly important for wallflowers.

TALL Ivory White develops a naturally bushy and floriferous habit. Removing faded flowers can help keep plants tidy and encourage a longer display.

Wallflowers are particularly effective planted among spring bulbs such as tulips, where their fragrant flower clusters fill the spaces between taller bulb flowers.

A Classic Cottage Garden Flower

The English Wallflower is a traditional ornamental plant associated with cottage gardens and naturalistic spring plantings.

TALL Ivory White offers a softer alternative to the familiar yellow, orange and red wallflowers. Its ivory-white flowers with occasional pale lemon tones are easy to combine with pastel tulips, narcissus and other spring flowers.

The flowers are also attractive to bees and other beneficial insects, providing nectar during the spring flowering period.

Biennial or Perennial?

Erysimum cheiri can behave as a biennial or short-lived perennial, depending on climate and growing conditions.

For predictable garden flowering, it is commonly treated as a biennial: sow in summer, establish the plants before winter and enjoy the flowers the following spring.

Why Grow TALL Ivory White?

TALL Ivory White combines fragrance, an unusual creamy ivory colour and classic cottage-garden character. Its bushy plants produce abundant flowers that work beautifully alongside spring bulbs and provide an early-season food source for pollinators.

A lovely choice for creating soft, romantic spring borders and naturalistic garden plantings.