Variegated dame's rockets?

Each year I seem to get more and more of these things, even when I pull them up after blooming. This year quite a few of them had varigated leaves and now that they are blooming, so are the flowers. One plant has white flowers with streaks of pink. The rest are in various shades of pink streaked with white. Will these plants bloom true if I save the seeds? Or is varigation a normal thing with this type of plant? It's just I had never noticed this before as mine were always solid colors. Doris

Mine always stay the same color. I sure would keep the seeds and see if they come true. Would be a wonderful plant to have and trade.

I thought I'd see if I could get my daughter to come take a picture of them and post it. They are really pretty. If I am able to get seeds, would you mind if I sent you some just to see if they will come true next year? Doris

I would love to see a photo DJM!

There are variegated Hesperis matronalis but they are very unusual. If it comes true from seed it might be worth looking more into it.

Doris I bet they would look great in my meadow, so how about a swap and I'll bring you something at the roundup!! :-)

Doris, I have had Dames rocket for a few years too and this year mine done something kinda funny too. The color was fine but the plant was disfigured. Instead of it branching off and looking bushy, it wound up well like this....

Gee! And we aren't even in the same plant zones! I'll have to watch mine to see if they set seed. But your flowers are OK? Your plants do look strange. Mine haven't gotten that far, they're still in the initial bloom stage. we'll have to watch these plants of ours!

I would like to see a pic of it soon as it blooms, bet it is going to be lovely.

thanks for the mail Doris and....if you do start pulling them up again...I'll take them off your hands!! :-)

OK,
Here's a picture of DJM's dames rockets. I'll try to post few, sorry, the pictures aren't the best.
Deb

Here's a second picture

My garden, even if I move, would have room to try out something new and I am sure that I could find something to trade.

One more.. Some of the flowers are white with purple, some are a pale purple with darker blotches.

I hate to say this but the coloring looks like a mosaic virus to me. http://plantpathology.tamu.edu/Texlabn/vegetables/Watermelon/p49.htm

Mollybee's is a fasciation http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=fasciation&btnG=Google+Search

This message was edited Thursday, Jun 5th 8:38 AM

I've noticed them growing in the wild and some of the plants have flowers that are streaked and foliage mottled. A nature guide said it was a virus. Dame's Rocket is not a native but has certainly spread in the wild here in Western NY.

http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/er/invasive/factsheets/dames.htm

Is this something that can spread? I love the look of the flowers though, I don't suppose they would come back that way? I haven't found anything much saying what to do. If it won't harm anything else, should I just leave it alone?

If it's a virus, and I agree with Poppysue on this one, it can spread to many, if not all Brassicaceae - Cabbage family. Turnip mosaic virus is one that finds a host in Hesperis species all across the world.

While some virii can be fairly contained and cause striped flowers, a virus that can affect cash crops such as the cabbage family isn't one to be keeping.

I was just noting that some had the streaks as well while I was driving along the road this week. I thought it was just a variation. Interesting -- too bad it is a virus.

Jane who used to a member of DG has named her own Hesperis and sold the seeds to Seeds of Distinction. It's called 'Frogswell Doris'

Is that the double white one?

it's variegated

Well, as soon as mine are through blooming, I guess its the end of the road for them! And they are so neat!!!