How to Grow Mignonette

Reseda odorata

Mignonette is an annual grown for its blooms, which open from spring through fall. Notably, it shrugs off deer and grows just as well in a container as in the ground. Its flowers are a moderate draw for honeybees, native bees, and butterflies.

Zones

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pH Range

6-7.5

Sun

Full Sun

Days to Maturity

75

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What Mignonette is

Mignonette grows as an annual and reaches around a foot and a half at maturity. It blooms from spring through fall. It's also deer-resistant and well suited to containers.

How to grow Mignonette

Mignonette does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 6 to 7.5, on well-drained ground. It needs around 800 growing degree days to mature and a growing season of at least 60 frost-free days, which is why climate matters as much as soil.

USDA Zones

Data pending

Soil pH

6 - 7.5

USDA PLANTS Database

Sun

Full Sun

Growable Ground plant catalog

Drainage

well (dry spells)

Growable Ground plant catalog

Days to Maturity

75 days

Growable Ground plant catalog

GDD Required

800+

Growing degree-days of accumulated warmth it needs to mature — humid summers reach this faster than cool coastal ones.

Growable Ground plant catalog

Mature Height

1.5 ft

Growable Ground plant catalog

Frost-Free Days

60+

The frost-free stretch it needs start to finish — short-season areas may need an indoor head start.

Growable Ground plant catalog

  1. Start the season right

    Plant mignonette in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct sun. It grows in the cool halves of the year, so sow it in spring or late summer rather than waiting for midsummer heat.

  2. Match the soil

    Mignonette prefers pH 6 to 7.5 (Growable Ground Plant Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.

  3. Water steadily

    Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.

  4. Harvest at its peak

    Cut mignonette blooms in the cool of the morning, just as they open, for the longest display.

Good to know

Good news for pet owners — mignonette isn't known to be toxic to dogs or cats. (Source: ASPCA.)

Mignonette offers moderate value to bees and other pollinators.

Where Mignonette thrives

Whether mignonette thrives on a given site comes down to its soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost dates — the conditions that vary parcel to parcel.

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See if Mignonette will thrive on your land

Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether mignonette actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.

Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:

Your soil pHYour frost-free daysYour sun & shade

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I grow Mignonette in my zone?

Zone data for mignonette is being finalized. A Growable Ground report checks your parcel's full suitability against federal soil, climate, and zone data.

When should you plant Mignonette?

Mignonette is a cool-season crop, so it goes in during the cool halves of the year — early spring, and again in late summer for a fall planting — rather than at the height of summer heat. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.

How much sun does Mignonette need?

Mignonette needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.

What soil does Mignonette need?

Mignonette prefers soil pH 6 to 7.5, on well-drained ground (Growable Ground Plant Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.

Does Mignonette attract pollinators?

Yes — mignonette's flowers are a solid nectar source for honeybees, native bees, and butterflies.

Is Mignonette safe for pets?

Mignonette is not known to be toxic to dogs or cats based on available data. Always supervise pets around new plantings. (Source: ASPCA.)