Aegean wallflower
Erysimum × cheiri (L.) Crantz
Aegean wallflower combines a woody lower stem with leafy flowering shoots. The New Zealand flora describes plants reaching about a metre tall, with conspicuous scars left by older leaves. Fine, flattened hairs lie along the stems and foliage, giving these surfaces a close covering rather than a woolly texture. Flora of New Zealand: Erysimum cheiri
Botanical name
Kew treats the catalog’s Erysimum cheiri as the accepted hybrid Erysimum × cheiri (L.) Crantz, with Cheiranthus cheiri as its original name. Kew POWO: Erysimum × cheiri
Recognizing the plant
Leaves are narrow and pointed, tapering toward the base, with smooth edges or a few minute teeth. Flowers rise in elongated clusters. Petals are usually yellow or orange, but may be red or brownish. After flowering, straight, slightly flattened pods reach roughly four to eight centimetres long. Each half of the pod has a distinct vein, and the pale brown seeds bear a short wing at one end. Flora of New Zealand: Erysimum cheiri
Bloom window
New Zealand, introduced populations
The New Zealand flora gives August–December as the main flowering period, with records extending beyond those months. Flora of New Zealand: Erysimum cheiri
Native range
Kew places the hybrid’s native range in southeastern Europe, specifically Greece. It is widely introduced elsewhere, including Britain, continental Europe, New Zealand and parts of North America. Kew POWO: Erysimum × cheiri
Botanical sources
Reviewed 2026-10-11. Seasonal development varies with location and growing conditions.