The cherry-red-and-heather-purple "Excelsior" common hoary stock will look like a noble lady at a royal garden. The erect stiff stem is covered with large, double or single flowers that appear in clusters that count from a few to over a dozen. The 50 to 80 cm tall plant is considered a true border queen thanks not only thanks to its dazzling fragrance. The light green leaves that are covered with slightly sticky hairs provide a great setting for the brightly coloured flowers. Common stock is valued as a seasonal addition to perennial borders, flower beds and lawns. It is simply indispensable as a long-lasting decoration of boxes, planters and pots, in which it harmonizes with other species. The Brompton stock, as this plant is also called, is widely used in floristry. Colourful, beautifully scented compositions will decorate the house. Use the flowers with roots in order to extend their life in vases.  The flowering period starts already in June. The plants that are abundantly adorned with blooms wilt only in autumn.

The "Excelsior" common stock is recommended for sunny and warm sites. It requires a permeable, nutrient-rich soil that contains plenty of humus and maintains stable, moderate humidity. This plant prefers calciferous soils. Due to a shallow root system it does not tolerate droughts. It requires fertilization, preferably with multicomponent flowering plant fertilizers.

Sow common stock seeds in spring: in April into boxes or pots at home. The seedlings need to be thinned. Transfer them to the permanent site in the second half of May. Make sure to grow common stock plants 20 to 30 cm apart.

Each package contains 0.5 grams of seeds. The most important plant facts, the basic growing tips and the sow-by date were printed at the back side of the package.

• Height: 50 to 80 cm
• Use: ornamental - containers, borders, floristry
• Blooming time: June - September
• Growth form: erect
• Flower colour: cherry red and heather purple
• Vegetation form: annual
• Foliage: light green leaves, covered with sticky, pubescent hairs
• Flower type: double or single, gathered in clusters
• Site: sunny, warm; permeable, nutrient-rich, moderately moist, calciferous soil
• Weight (in grams): 0.5 g