Sweet Alyssum
Lobularia maritima
Sweet Alyssum is fast and low growing, trouble free, and low cost, making it a popular choice for use as beneficial insect habitat in vegetable and fruit production. Because of its very manageable plant habit, Sweet Alyssum is a good choice for beneficial planting in greenhouses and containers, in addition to outdoor production. Sprawling plants with dense clusters of small flowers. Commonly known as sweet alyssum, but also known simply as alyssum. Tender perennial in Zones 9-11. Attracts and provides a food source for beneficial insects such as lacewings, parasitic wasps, syrphid flies, and tachinid flies.
Harvest
50-60d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun to partial shade
Zones
5–9
USDA hardiness
Height
3-10 inches
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Sweet Alyssum in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 native-wildflower →Zone Map
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Sweet Alyssum · Zones 5–9
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
Complete Growing Guide
Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day), Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours). Soil: Clay, Loam (Silt), Sand. Soil pH: Acid (<6.0), Alkaline (>8.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Fairy Gardens Cabarrus County Poolside Garden. Height: 0 ft. 3 in. - 0 ft. 10 in.. Spread: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.. Spacing: 12 inches-3 feet. Growth rate: Medium. Maintenance: Medium. Propagation: Seed. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.
Harvesting
Cream-colored oval seed pods with 1 yellowish seed each. The fruits are numerous, rather hairy, oval to rounded.
Color: Cream/Tan, Gold/Yellow. Type: Capsule.
Bloom time: Fall, Spring, Summer
History & Origin
Origin: Southern Europe, west and central Mediterranean.
Advantages
- +Disease resistance: Drought, Dry Soil
- +Attracts: Butterflies, Moths, Pollinators, Predatory Insects, Songbirds
- +Wildlife value: Beetles, butterflies, and skippers feed off the plant.
Companion Plants
Plant Together
Tomatoes
Sweet alyssum attracts beneficial insects that control tomato pests like aphids and whiteflies
Cabbage
Acts as a living mulch and attracts parasitic wasps that control cabbage worms
Broccoli
Attracts hoverflies and lacewings that feed on aphids commonly found on brassicas
Carrots
Provides ground cover while attracting beneficial insects that help control carrot fly
Lettuce
Creates beneficial microclimate and attracts predatory insects for aphid control
Nasturtiums
Both attract beneficial pollinators and create complementary pest control strategies
Marigolds
Work together to create a diverse beneficial insect habitat while repelling various garden pests
Roses
Attracts beneficial insects that help control aphids and thrips on rose bushes
Keep Apart
Black Walnut
Produces juglone which is toxic to many plants and inhibits alyssum growth
Eucalyptus
Releases allelopathic compounds that suppress growth of nearby smaller plants
Dense Shade Trees
Sweet alyssum requires full sun and will become leggy and fail to flower in heavy shade
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Good disease resistance, may get downy mildew in humid conditions
Common Pests
Aphids, flea beetles, caterpillars
Diseases
Downy mildew, clubroot, white rust