| Lobularia maritima | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Brassicales |
| Family: | Brassicaceae |
| Genus: | Lobularia |
| Species: | L. maritima |
| Binomial name | |
| Lobularia maritima (L.) Desv. |
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Lobularia maritima, common name Sweet Alyssum or Sweet Alison, also commonly referred to as just Alyssum from the genus in which it was formerly classified, is a low-growing flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae.
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The genus name lobularia comes from the Latin name globulus, meaning small globe, refers to the shape of the clusters of flowers, while the name of the species maritima refers to its habitat.
It is an annual plant (rarely a short-lived perennial plant)[1] growing to 10-30 cm tall. The stem is very branched, with dense clusters of small flowers. The leaves are 1-4 cm long and 3-5 mm, broad, alternate, sessile, quite hairy, oval to lanceolate, with an entire margin.
The flowers are about 5 millimetres (0.20 in) of diameter, sweet-smelling, with four white rounded petals (or pink, rose-red, violent and lilac[1]) and four sepals. The six stamens have yellow anthers. The flowers are produced throughout the growing season, or year-round in areas free of frost. The flowering period usually extends from March-April through September. They are pollinated by insects (entomophily). The fruits are numerous elongated seedpods rather hairy, oval to rounded, each containing two seeds. The dispersal of seed is granted by the wing (anemochory)
Lobularia maritima is cultivated in gardens, with many horticultural varieties with purple or pink flowers.. The plant is best planted in early spring, but requires little maintenance when growing. Although an annual, it may reseed in temperate climates.[1] It will flower more profusely if spent blooms are trimmed. When grown in gardens, it is typically used as ground cover, as it rarely grows higher than 20 cm tall. It prefers partial shade, and is resistant to heat and drought. Plants with darker-colored flowers do better in cooler temperatures. It has become widely naturalised throughout the temperate regions of the world.
There is an endemic subspecies of Lobularia maritima in the local flora of the Columbretes Islands.[2]
This plant is native to the Mediterranean region and it is also present in Macaronesia (Canary Islands, Azores) and in France in the Bay of Biscay, it is naturalized elsewhere.
It is common on sandy beaches and dunes, but can also grow on cultivated fields, walls, slopes and waste ground, preferably on calcareous soil, at an altitude of 0–300 metres (0–980 ft) above sea level.
* Lobularia maritima 'Snow Cloth' (white)
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