Lobularia maritima (L.) Desv.
Sweet Alison
Sweet alyssum, also called sweet Alison, is a low, spreading member of the cabbage family that forms soft carpets of tiny, narrow leaves studded with dense, rounded clusters of small four-petalled flowers, most often white but also pink and purple. The blooms carry a distinctive sweet, honey-like fragrance.
About
Sweet alyssum, also called sweet Alison, is a low, spreading member of the cabbage family that forms soft carpets of tiny, narrow leaves studded with dense, rounded clusters of small four-petalled flowers, most often white but also pink and purple. The blooms carry a distinctive sweet, honey-like fragrance. Native to the Mediterranean and usually grown as an annual, it is naturalised in parts of Britain, particularly on coastal sand and shingle.
It flowers freely and over a long season in full sun on light, free-draining soil, and is notably tolerant of dry, salty and exposed conditions. The mass of scented flowers is a magnet for bees, hoverflies and butterflies, and it is often included in pollinator mixes for exactly this reason. Low and trailing, it works well as edging, in containers and window boxes, between paving and as ground cover, and will commonly self-seed once settled in.
Also known as
Sweet Alyssum · Sweet-alice · alyssum · seaside koniga · seaside lobularia · sweet-alyssum
Synonyms
Aduseton maritimum · Adyseton maritimum · Alyssum maritimum · Clypeola maritima · Draba maritima · Glyce maritima · Koniga maritima · Lobularia halimifolia · Octadenia maritima
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.