Sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima) is a charming mat-forming plant with tiny flowers and a subtle, sweet fragrance. Learn how to grow this delicate bloom in your garden. Learn how to grow sweet alyssum, a garden favorite with dainty scented flowers.

Understanding the Context

Get care tips for keeping your alyssum blooming in containers, hanging baskets and flower beds. How to Plant & Care for Sweet Alyssum Flowers - Garden Design Sweet alyssum is valuable for attracting pollinators and beneficial insects to the garden and is considered deer resistant. Sweet alyssum is a cool-season annual with dainty blossoms on tidy mounds of foliage. Sweet alyssum flowers are most often found in a crisp, clean white.

Key Insights

How to Plant and Grow Sweet Alyssum - Better Homes & Gardens Sweet alyssum is a pretty flowering plant that forms a low-spreading mound with tiny, sweet-smelling blooms throughout the growing season. It’s pollinator-friendly and commonly used as a seasonal ground cover or annual bedding flower. Learn how to plant, grow, and care for sweet alyssum. Though most alyssum plants are grown as annuals, they are actually a short-lived perennial flower. Sweet alyssum can be started in either spring or fall, depending upon your growing zone.

Final Thoughts

You can successfully sow the seed directly into prepared beds or start them indoors. Alyssum is a tender perennial grown as an annual in much of the U.S. This delightful little plant produces clouds of delicate flowers with a sweet honey-like fragrance. While white is the most common flower color, some varieties produce lovely shades of purple, pink, and even red blooms.