Lobularia maritima procumbens Snow Crystals - Sweet Alyssum

Lobularia maritima procumbens or Alyssum Snow Crystals, also known as Sweet Alyssum, is an annual groundcover plant that is floriferous and robust. It quickly forms uniform, snowy carpets because its immaculate flowers are particularly large and cover its compact vegetation perfectly. Its fragrant and cushion-like growth habit makes it suitable for borders, rockeries, as well as hanging baskets and flower pots. Its resilience contradicts its delicate appearance. Resistant to weather and drought, this plant is very useful in coastal areas and dry gardens.

Alyssum is an annual plant belonging to the Brassicaceae family, native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean region. This plant is widely cultivated in gardens and has given rise to many horticultural varieties. Alyssum Snow Crystals forms woody-based, dense, and prostrate herbaceous clumps, 15 cm (6in) tall and 25 cm (10in) wide, in the year following its sowing. Initially resembling a weed, it then transforms into an imposing clump of branched stems, adorned with glaucous green, alternate, simple, and entire leaves that are narrow (from lanceolate to linear) and quite hairy. The flowering period extends from June to September, completely covering the plant with white flowers that have a delightful honey fragrance.

Underutilised in gardens, Alyssum can thrive in well-drained soils. They are perfect plants for covering the tops of walls, the spaces between rocks in rockeries, and at the base of perennials and dryland shrubs such as rock roses, shrubby salvias, lavenders, or rosemary. They can also be planted along pathways in well-drained soil. They perform exceptionally well in pots and containers too.