Mignonette
Reseda odorata
Family: Resedaceae · Also called Sweet Mignonette, Little Darling, Reseda, Reseda odorata f. pilosa, Reseda arborea, Reseda neilgherrensis
Green & Fresh · Summer bloomer
Mignonette is the ugly duckling of fragrant flowers, its brownish-green flower spikes are frankly unattractive, yet the scent is one of the most sophisticated in the garden. Victorians grew it in every window box not for looks but for the extraordinary green-fruity fragrance that would drift into rooms on summer breezes. It was the most fashionable plant of the 19th century.
worth beyond beauty, quiet virtues
In the Victorian language of flowers, mignonette means “Your qualities surpass your charms”. Napoleon reportedly sent mignonette seeds to Josephine from Egypt, and she grew them at Malmaison. In Victorian London, window boxes of mignonette scented entire streets, it was the most popular windowsill plant of the era. The name is French for 'little darling.'
Did You Know?
Mignonette was so popular in Victorian London that entire streets were reportedly perfumed by window boxes. Its decline began when heavy breeding for larger, showier flowers accidentally eliminated the fragrance, the very quality that made it famous.
Sandy, open ground of North Africa and the Mediterranean
Mignonette is native to North Africa. It naturally grows in sandy, open ground of north africa and the mediterranean.
Scent Profile
“A unique green-fruity scent with raspberry and violet facets, humble in appearance but extraordinary in fragrance, a perfumer's secret treasure.”
Quick Reference
- Scientific NameReseda odorata
- FamilyResedaceae
- Native ToNorth Africa
- Bloom SeasonSummer
- LifespanAnnual
Cultural Significance
Napoleon reportedly sent mignonette seeds to Josephine from Egypt, and she grew them at Malmaison. In Victorian London, window boxes of mignonette scented entire streets, it was the most popular windowsill plant of the era. The name is French for 'little darling.'