A member of the genus Matthiola native to Eurasia which emits a pleasant scent in the evening and through the night.

The plant is low-growing and highly branched in form, normally growing to about 45 cm in length.

It is cold-resistant and grown throughout North America, even doing well into hardiness zone 1 [citation needed].

This hardy annual prefers cool conditions in full sun and may not do well at high temperatures.

In Canada, the tiny seeds are usually sown in the early spring after the last frost and may be started indoors in April.