WSU Clark County Extension
PNW Plants Searchable, categorized images

Sweet Alyssum

Scientific name: Lobularia maritime
Taxonomy
Family:Brassicaceae
Type:Annuals and Biennials
Native:NO
Plant Requirements
Zone:1
Sun:Full to partial sun
Moisture:Dry
Plant Characteristics
Height:1 ft
Width:2 ft
Bloom:Fragrant flowers
Bloom Time:May to September
Bloom Color:White
Additional Characteristics
Trees


Fruit

Leaves


Bark
Wildlife value

Poisonous
Description With their sweet-smelling (honey scent) white to pink flowers, Sweet Alyssum is a favourite annual for Northwest gardeners with its seemingly endless parade of blooms.

  Morphology:
Sweet alyssum is a low, much-branched and spreading annual that can grow up to 10” tall with prostrate stems and entire, alternate, linear leaves 3/8" to 2" long.

The small, white, fragrant flowers are in terminal racemes, with four obovate petals. The fruit is an orbicular silicle about 1/8" long with two brown round-oblong seeds.

  Adaptation:
Sweet alyssum does best in full sun, though will tolerate some light shade. It can escape the garden and become naturalized along side roads.

  Pests:
None reported.
For assistance, contact Dr. Charles Brun (brunc@wsu.edu), (360) 397-6060 5701
Computing and Web Resources, PO Box 6234, Washington State University, Pullman WA 99164-6234