Iberis umbellata L.
Garden Candytuft
Garden or globe candytuft is a bushy annual of the cabbage family, native to the Mediterranean region and grown widely as an easy, fast-flowering ornamental. It forms upright, branching plants with slender leaves, topped by domed clusters of small four-petalled flowers in a cheerful range of pinks, purples, lilacs and white that often deepen or fade as they age.
About
Garden or globe candytuft is a bushy annual of the cabbage family, native to the Mediterranean region and grown widely as an easy, fast-flowering ornamental. It forms upright, branching plants with slender leaves, topped by domed clusters of small four-petalled flowers in a cheerful range of pinks, purples, lilacs and white that often deepen or fade as they age.
Quick and rewarding from seed, it thrives in full sun on light, free-draining soil and is happy in poorer ground. Flowering through summer, the nectar-rich heads are attractive to bees, butterflies and hoverflies, making it a useful filler for borders, containers, gravel gardens and pollinator-friendly annual seed mixes. Sown directly where it is to grow and thinned out, it needs little attention and will often self-seed for the following year. It is a cultivated garden annual rather than a British native.
Also known as
Globe candytuft · annual candytuft
Synonyms
Crucifera umbellata · Iberis amoena · Iberis coronaria · Iberis corymbosa · Iberis cretica · Iberis hortensis · Iberis platyptera · Iberis pulchra · Iberis roseopurpurea · Iberis umbellata atropurpurea · Iberis umbellata grenieri · Iberis umbellata umbellata
In our seed mixes
Beta — under active development. This catalogue is still being built and accuracy-checked. The information here (including plant identifications, British native status, soil and sun/shade preferences) is provided in good faith for general guidance only and may contain errors or omissions. It must not be relied upon on its own — please confirm details with us before making planting, specification, foraging or purchasing decisions, and never eat or medicinally use any plant based on this catalogue alone, as some species are toxic. To the extent permitted by law, Phoenix Amenity Supplies accepts no liability for any loss arising from use of this information.