Alyssum
Madwort
- Height × spread
- 0.15m – 0.4m × 0.4m – 1m
- Position
- Full sun
Availability
Please ask in store about availability
Many plants are seasonal. Call 01234 567890 to check current stock.
About this plant
There are a great range of these and a few of them are grown in gardens, generally in rockeries or at the front of dry sunny borders. They carry clusters of small flowers that appear in spring and early summer and are generally in shades of yellow and white. They are at their most charming when grown informally, tumbling over stone walls, or grown as clumps in rocky terrain. The foliage is pleasant, often grey, and is not a major ornamental feature.
- Flower colour
- Pink, Yellow
- Foliage colour
- Grey
- Variegated
- No
- Scent
- Yes, some varieties
- Shape
- Dome
- Height
- 0.15m – 0.4m
- Spread
- 0.4m – 1m
- Season of interest
- Spring, Summer
- Evergreen
- Evergreen
- Garden style
- Wild flower meadow, Rock garden, Gravel garden, Cottage garden
- Sun or shade
- Likes full sun
- Soil type
- Chalk, Gravelly soil, Loam (normal), Poor soil, Sandy soil
- Soil pH
- Alkaline, Neutral
- Drainage
- Well drained soil, Dry soil, Drought resistant
- Winter hardiness
- Varies, most are hardy
- Borders & containers
- Borders
- Use for
- Ground cover, Bee attraction
- Hazards
- Yes, some leaves are prickly
Spring
Spring - late · Outdoors
Feed with slow release fertiliser
Apply a general purpose slow release fertiliser, spreading it around the root area of the plant as it is coming into growth. (Or apply a liquid feed at regular intervals throughout the growing season.)
This is a simple way to provide a nutrient boost as a single annual procedure.
Spring-Autumn · Outdoors
Water in dry periods
Established plants in the ground can cope with 7-10 days of dryness, and shrubs often manage 2 to 3 weeks. Water one section of the garden thoroughly each day rather than a little everywhere. Check plants in pots more often, especially in hot weather.
Planting & general
Planting
Prune after flowering
When the plant has finished flowering, cut the trailing stems back by half their length or more to retain a compact and appealing habit.