Alyssum 'Dwarf Purple'

Dwarf Purple Alyssum (Lobularia maritima)

A highly fragrant ground-hugger with mounds of tiny purple blooms, Dwarf Purple Alyssum adds charm to borders, rock gardens, containers, and pathways. Bees and butterflies adore it, and it’s an excellent filler between stones or in cracks where little else will grow. Blooms from spring until frost with minimal care.

This cool-season annual thrives in full sun to partial shade and prefers well-drained soil. Not winter-hardy, but may self-seed in Zones 2–9. In warmer regions, it may bloom through winter.

No pinching required—plants naturally mound and branch well on their own. Attracts and provides food for beneficial insects such as lacewings, parasitic wasps, syrphid flies, and tachinid flies.

DETAILS:

TYPE: Annual

SITE: Full Sun

DEPTH: Surface - Lightly press into soil

GERMINATION: 7-14 days at 18 - 21°C

HEIGHT: 8-16"

MATURITY: 50 - 60 Days

SPACING: 6-8"

HOW TO GROW:

Transplanting (recommended): Start seeds indoors 4–5 weeks before you plan to move them outside. Sow several seeds per cell or pot. Do not cover the seeds, as light is required for germination. To avoid displacing the seeds, bottom water or mist gently. Harden off seedlings by growing them at night temperatures of 10–13°C before transplanting outdoors after all danger of frost has passed.

Direct Seeding (alternative): Sow seeds outdoors as soon as the soil can be worked in early spring. In warmer climates, you can sow from midsummer to late winter for blooms that will last until June. Press the seeds lightly into the soil surface and do not cover. Once the seedlings have developed their first true leaves, thin them to a final spacing of 4–6 inches apart.

Pinching and Support: No pinching or support is required, as alyssum naturally forms a low, mounding carpet. Deadheading spent flowers is not necessary, but a light shearing after a heavy flush of blooms will encourage a tidier appearance and a fresh round of flowering.

Soil Preference and Watering: Alyssum thrives in full sun and requires well-drained soil. It is a low-maintenance plant that is relatively drought-tolerant once established, but will perform best with consistent moisture. Avoid letting the soil dry out completely.

Fertilizing: Fertilizing is not typically necessary. If your soil is poor, a single application of a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer can be given at the time of planting.