Bountiful Gardens

Lobularia: The Honey-Scented Sweet Alyssum

Lobularia, known almost universally by its common name Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritima), is a beloved annual that forms a low, spreading carpet of delicate foliage covered in dense clusters of tiny, four-petaled flowers. Its most celebrated feature is an intoxicating, sweet honey-like fragrance that can perfume an entire patio or garden space. Traditionally found in pure white, modern varieties now offer a beautiful range of soft pinks, lavenders, and deep purples. Its gentle, mounding or trailing habit makes it an indispensable plant for softening edges and spilling gracefully from containers.  This charming annual is wonderfully easy to care for and rewards with months of color and fragrance.

Why is Lobularia So Popular?

Sweet Alyssum is a garden staple for a multitude of reasons, combining beauty, fragrance, and function in one small plant.

Unforgettable Fragrance: Its powerful, sweet scent is its number one feature, creating a delightful sensory experience in the garden.

Versatile Growth Habit: It is the perfect "spiller" for containers and hanging baskets, a beautiful "filler" between stepping stones, and an elegant "edger" for garden beds and borders.

Long Bloom Season: It blooms profusely from spring through fall, often taking a brief rest in the peak of summer heat before rebounding.

Beneficial for Pollinators: It is a magnet for beneficial insects, including tiny pollinating bees, hoverflies, and minute pirate bugs, making it an excellent companion plant in vegetable gardens to help with pollination and pest control.

Ease of Growth: It is incredibly easy to grow from seed or starts and often self-sows politely, returning in the garden the following year.

When to Plant:

Lobularia that we sell during the late spring and summer are modern, heat-tolerant hybrids. Look for series like 'Snow Princess'® or 'White Stream'™ at our nurseries. These varieties have been specifically bred to bloom prolifically right through the heat of a New Jersey summer and they also bloom great in Spring and Fall too.

Growing Instructions:

Sunlight: Lobularia blooms best in full sun but appreciates some afternoon shade during the hottest parts of the summer. Six hours of sun is a good target.

Soil: It is not picky and will grow well in average, well-draining soil.

Watering: It prefers consistent moisture to bloom well. Water regularly, especially in containers, but ensure the soil is not constantly soggy.

Care and Maintenance: If your Alyssum plants start to look leggy or stop blooming in the summer heat, don't be afraid to give them a "haircut." Shear the entire plant back by about one-third to one-half. This will encourage a fresh flush of new, compact growth and a new wave of flowers as the weather cools slightly.

A History from Mediterranean Shores

Lobularia maritima is native to the coastal regions of the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands. Its botanical name reflects its origins: Lobularia refers to the small, rounded seed pods (or "lobules"), and maritima means "of the sea," pointing to its seaside habitat.

The common name, Alyssum, has a fascinating and ancient history. It comes from the Greek prefix 'a-' (meaning "without") and 'lyssa' (meaning "madness" or "rabies"). In ancient times, the plant was used in folk medicine as a supposed antidote or cure for the bite of a rabid animal. While this belief has long been disproven, the intriguing name has stuck with this sweet-smelling garden favorite for centuries.