Alyssum

Lobularia maritima subsp. var.	Alyssum, Sweet Alyssum, Sweet Alison
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	Brassicaceae > Lobularia maritima var. ,

Lobularia maritima (syn. Alyssum maritimum; common name Sweet Alyssum or Sweet Alison, also commonly referred to as just Alyssum from the genus in which it was formerly classified) is a low-growing flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae, native to the Mediterranean region and Macaronesia (Canary Islands, Azores).

It is an annual plant (rarely a short-lived perennial plant) growing to 10-30 cm tall. The leaves are 1-4 cm long and 3-5 mm broad, oval to lanceolate, with an entire margin. The flowers are sweet-smelling white (rarely pink or lavender), with four petals; they are produced throughout the growing season, or year-round in areas free of frost.

Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Alyssum maritimum, Lam. (A. odoratum, Hort.). Sweet Alyssum. Fig. 181. A low. spreading, light green annual, with lanceolate or linear entire Lvs., tapering to the base, and small honey-scented fls. in terminal clusters, which become long racemes. Eu. Many cult. vars.: var. Benthamii or compactum, a dwarf and compact form, not over 6 in. high; var. variegatum, with pale white-edged Lvs.; var. giganteum, robust, broad-lvd.; var. procumbens, of spreading habit; and various horticultural forms with trade names. The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

Cultivation

Lobularia maritima is best planted in early spring, but requires little maintenance when growing. It will flower more profusely if spent blooms are trimmed. When grown in gardens, it is typically used as ground cover, as it rarely grows higher than 20 cm tall.

It prefers partial shade, and is resistant to heat and drought. Plants with darker-colored flowers do better in cooler temperatures.

It has become widely naturalised throughout the temperate regions of the world.

Other synonyms include Alyssum odoratum, Sweet Alyssum, Clypeola maritima and Koniga maritima.

Gallery

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References

• Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963

External links

• w:Alyssum. Some of the material on this page may be from Wikipedia, under the Creative Commons license.
• Alyssum QR Code (Size 50, 100, 200, 500)