Mignonette
Leaves and stem
Mignonette is a hairless, sprawling, 'floppy' biennial. Generally, it is about 12 inches tall but can be significantly taller / bigger. There may be a basal rosette of leaves.
![leaf mignonette](https://www.woodlands.co.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/leaf-mignonette.jpg)
The leaves are deeply cut and have a pinnate appearance; the margin is wavy - see adjacent image.
![stem mignonette](https://www.woodlands.co.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/stem-mignonette.jpg)
The stem has a number of ridges - see image.
Flowers and Fruits
![spike reseda lutea](https://www.woodlands.co.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/spike-reseda-lutea.jpg)
The flowers are a green yellow - with 6 sepals and 6 petals. They are densely packed together to form a spike.
![flower mignonette](https://www.woodlands.co.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/flower-mignonette.jpg)
The upper pair of petals have lobes, and there are numerous stamens (between 12 and 20).
Ecology and other notes
![mignonette plant](https://www.woodlands.co.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/mignonette-plant.jpg)
Mignonette is found on waste ground, along footpaths and the margins of fields. It is 'popular' with bees and butterflies.
In the past, a yellow dye was extracted from the plant.