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Companion flower · Easy to grow

Sweet alyssum

Lobularia maritima · also Alyssum

A low carpet of tiny honey-scented flowers that feeds hoverflies and tiny parasitic wasps, two of the best aphid and caterpillar hunters. Edge your beds with it, or tuck it between lettuces and brassicas. Flowers most of the year in Adelaide.

When to plant where you live

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Planting times for other areas

Varieties (2)

  • Carpet of SnowClassic white, very low
  • Royal CarpetPurple; compact

Neighbours

Grows well with

From seed to plate

  1. Plant

    20 cm apart. Full sun or part shade.

  2. Water

    Light, regular water while young; copes with dry spells after.

  3. Feed

    None needed.

  4. Pick, from about 6 weeks

    Trim by a third when flowering slows to bring on a new flush.

Good to know

  • Sow a line along the bed edge for a living border
  • Seed needs light; press it in, don't bury it
  • It's in the cabbage family, so count it in your crop rotation

Common problems

  • Flops and stops flowering in hot summersshear back and water; it returns in autumn
  • Damping off in cold wet soilsow on the surface and keep just moist

If you use a garden chemical, follow the label exactly. Try organic options first, and ask the community or Plant Doctor if you're unsure.

Ask the garden helper about sweet alyssumAny question, answered from the plant libraryHow others are growing sweet alyssumQuestions, tips and harvests from the community

Wildlife

Good for: bees, butterflies, insects.

Where this information comes from
  • Sustainable Gardening Australia: attracting beneficial insects (companions, low confidence)
  • ABC Gardening Australia: beneficial insect plants (growing, low confidence)
  • ASPCA Animal Poison Control: Sweet alyssum (non-toxic) (toxicity, medium confidence)

Reviewed by AI cross-check (Claude), not a horticulturist on 28 Oct 2026. Version 1.