Sweet Alyssum: You Can Grow That!

You Can Grow That: Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia Maritima)

Sweet Alyssum is named for its light fragrance, though you may not ever notice it if you plant it in your garden borders as it is a fairly short -- sometimes trailing -- annual.

Equally at home in hanging baskets as in rock gardens, Sweet Alyssum is a wonderful addition to your cool season annual palette along with pansies, viola, ornamental cabbages and kales. It is great for those shoulder-times of years in the garden (mid-to-late autumn and early spring) when you want a touch of color in the garden while you go about your garden tasks.

It comes in white, pink, and purple blooms. There is no need to fertilize it. Sweet Alyssum grows easily from seed or purchase small started plants.

You can plant it in March and shear it back when summers heat sets in and see it come back full-force in October. Alternatively, you can plant it in fall and leave it to set seed and it could self-sow about the garden. (This may or may not be a desirable trait for you, but they are quite easily pulled up if not in a spot you desire.)

Pictured here is a new purple alyssum introduction 'Blushing Princess' from Proven Winners.

Garden Bloggers You Can Grow That! Day was started by C. L. Fornari of Whole Life Gardening because she believes “Gardening is one of the most life-affirming things we can do.…We need to thoroughly saturate people with the belief that plants and gardening are worth doing because of the benefits gained.” Garden bloggers who agree post about something worth growing on the fourth day of every month. Read this month’s You Can Grow That! posts.