Sweet Alyssum: The Companion Plant You're Probably Not Growing
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Date: 2022-07-18
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Comments and reviews: 14
ZaneofAustin
you know i'm pretty new to gardening (your videos taught me alot)
but something that is really confusing (or was for me, in texas) is when people classify a plant as part shade or full sun
cause full sun in texas kills almost everything except cactus basically
also since it's kinda opinionated, partial sun is fairly hard to define.
aside from physical temperature sensitivities, a guide on the definitions of what partial shade or full sun truly represent (in hours and intensity instead) would be insightful.
just because there are so many different climate zones, i killed at least 6 strawberry plants before i realized they'll die if it's over 80F but people said it needed full sun so i threw it in the sun 103F
it didn't work lol
but i know in texas we have kinda niche weather, and seasons are suggestions lol
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you know i'm pretty new to gardening (your videos taught me alot)
but something that is really confusing (or was for me, in texas) is when people classify a plant as part shade or full sun
cause full sun in texas kills almost everything except cactus basically
also since it's kinda opinionated, partial sun is fairly hard to define.
aside from physical temperature sensitivities, a guide on the definitions of what partial shade or full sun truly represent (in hours and intensity instead) would be insightful.
just because there are so many different climate zones, i killed at least 6 strawberry plants before i realized they'll die if it's over 80F but people said it needed full sun so i threw it in the sun 103F
it didn't work lol
but i know in texas we have kinda niche weather, and seasons are suggestions lol
reply
Anna
Theres a volunteer alyssum in the backyard of my parents new place in Orange County. We havent landscaped or gardened back there besides caring for the avocado tree. But there must have been some before, or in the container garden that the previous homeowner had right there, and theres water supplied by the AC unit condensation tube thats just tucked into the ground right there, so it periodically gets water (particularly when its hot) and seems very happy. Its a mix of white and purple sections of it, and has died all the way back and then reappeared several times the last couple years!
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Theres a volunteer alyssum in the backyard of my parents new place in Orange County. We havent landscaped or gardened back there besides caring for the avocado tree. But there must have been some before, or in the container garden that the previous homeowner had right there, and theres water supplied by the AC unit condensation tube thats just tucked into the ground right there, so it periodically gets water (particularly when its hot) and seems very happy. Its a mix of white and purple sections of it, and has died all the way back and then reappeared several times the last couple years!
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Eileen
Hi Kevin we love sweet alyssum! . My mom has grown it in her garden in very Sandy and dry soil for 40+ year as. And she often puts it in her posies. I don't know if you cut flowers but for those that like to cut a little something from the garden and put it together in a little vase or pitcher on the table, sweet alyssum is awesome. You just strip with your fingers the lower bits of the leaves and bunch it up in the vase with some Johnny -jump- ups or roses or calendula or just about anything that will go well in a vase and it has that honey- scent to your room.
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Hi Kevin we love sweet alyssum! . My mom has grown it in her garden in very Sandy and dry soil for 40+ year as. And she often puts it in her posies. I don't know if you cut flowers but for those that like to cut a little something from the garden and put it together in a little vase or pitcher on the table, sweet alyssum is awesome. You just strip with your fingers the lower bits of the leaves and bunch it up in the vase with some Johnny -jump- ups or roses or calendula or just about anything that will go well in a vase and it has that honey- scent to your room.
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Kacie-Jo
So, the concern with invasive species is not about its aggressive spread on your personal property. It's about it escaping cultivation, establishing itself in the ecosystem, and outcompeting native plants. And, while it could very well do this by slowly spreading overtime and walking its way off your property, more often than not, invasive are spread by SEED. Birds carry them. Wind disperses them. They grab onto fur and fabric. All sorts of things. Do not plant invasive species.
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So, the concern with invasive species is not about its aggressive spread on your personal property. It's about it escaping cultivation, establishing itself in the ecosystem, and outcompeting native plants. And, while it could very well do this by slowly spreading overtime and walking its way off your property, more often than not, invasive are spread by SEED. Birds carry them. Wind disperses them. They grab onto fur and fabric. All sorts of things. Do not plant invasive species.
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lin
Here in the UK I've only come across the low growing white alyssum called Little Dorrit which we have to grow as an annual. It used to be popular in municipal bedding schemes with red salvia and blue lobelia to make a patriotic patch! My father absolutely loathed the smell of it but he also hated the smell of hyacinths. Wonder if it's like cilantro love/hate thing.
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Here in the UK I've only come across the low growing white alyssum called Little Dorrit which we have to grow as an annual. It used to be popular in municipal bedding schemes with red salvia and blue lobelia to make a patriotic patch! My father absolutely loathed the smell of it but he also hated the smell of hyacinths. Wonder if it's like cilantro love/hate thing.
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handmade
Of all the flowers in my garden that attract pollinators, none attract more than the catnip. Not cat mint. Catnip, with the very small panicles of white and pale lavender blooms. Secondly, are all the other plants with very tiny blooms, like alyssum. Even large bees love them. You've shown some beautiful varieties that I'd like to grow. Lisa
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Of all the flowers in my garden that attract pollinators, none attract more than the catnip. Not cat mint. Catnip, with the very small panicles of white and pale lavender blooms. Secondly, are all the other plants with very tiny blooms, like alyssum. Even large bees love them. You've shown some beautiful varieties that I'd like to grow. Lisa
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handmade
So happy to see this video. Alyssum was one of my favorite flowers when I was little, but in recent years I've shied away from it because I heard it was invasive. I believe you mentioned some of it's benefits in one of your other recent videos, so I just planted some seeds this weekend! Looking forward to adding it to my raised beds.
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So happy to see this video. Alyssum was one of my favorite flowers when I was little, but in recent years I've shied away from it because I heard it was invasive. I believe you mentioned some of it's benefits in one of your other recent videos, so I just planted some seeds this weekend! Looking forward to adding it to my raised beds.
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Huraira
Thank you for sharing. I have a mediteranean style edible/herbal garden and I used to get annoyed by the basicness of alyssum (its grown in commercial plantings here down south, like knockout roses) not realizing its worth in the garden. Now that I know, I think i'll be on the lookout for some pretty varieties.
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Thank you for sharing. I have a mediteranean style edible/herbal garden and I used to get annoyed by the basicness of alyssum (its grown in commercial plantings here down south, like knockout roses) not realizing its worth in the garden. Now that I know, I think i'll be on the lookout for some pretty varieties.
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mu99ins
Uh-oh. I thought my allysium might be a good ground cover, but I think i'll spade most of it over, and then transfer some to big pots. It's very hardy, and comes back healthy after being trampled on. Maybe it's too hardy. The patch is around 40 sq. feet, and I'll see if spading over kills it.
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Uh-oh. I thought my allysium might be a good ground cover, but I think i'll spade most of it over, and then transfer some to big pots. It's very hardy, and comes back healthy after being trampled on. Maybe it's too hardy. The patch is around 40 sq. feet, and I'll see if spading over kills it.
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Moonstruck
Doesn't sweet alyssum also attract bagrada bugs? They can be really bad for brassicas and a few years ago were a big threat to farms here in SoCal. We were talking about planting some sweet alyssum for our laying hens at work and one of the farm supervisors warned about the bagrada bugs.
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Doesn't sweet alyssum also attract bagrada bugs? They can be really bad for brassicas and a few years ago were a big threat to farms here in SoCal. We were talking about planting some sweet alyssum for our laying hens at work and one of the farm supervisors warned about the bagrada bugs.
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Jo
I grew up with these in my grandparents gardens in England, my gran called them granny caps because they reminded her of the nightcaps women wore for bed.
These and night scented stocks and carnations that actually smell like carnations are my favorite things to have in the garden
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I grew up with these in my grandparents gardens in England, my gran called them granny caps because they reminded her of the nightcaps women wore for bed.
These and night scented stocks and carnations that actually smell like carnations are my favorite things to have in the garden
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KiraiBK
Mine comes back more and more every year. I live in zone 6b. Ive been able to transplant clumps of it around my garden to keep companion plants all around my garden. Mine did grow in my wood chip covered walkways in my garden as it rooted in the broken down chips on the bottom.
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Mine comes back more and more every year. I live in zone 6b. Ive been able to transplant clumps of it around my garden to keep companion plants all around my garden. Mine did grow in my wood chip covered walkways in my garden as it rooted in the broken down chips on the bottom.
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Kathryn
Alyssum is a great tip, and I will pass on mine for eliminating fire ants. Spread a light coating of tapioca flour around the nest and anywhere you see them and on top of the nest. I don't think it will hurt anything else. It's certainly better than poisonous pesticides.
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Alyssum is a great tip, and I will pass on mine for eliminating fire ants. Spread a light coating of tapioca flour around the nest and anywhere you see them and on top of the nest. I don't think it will hurt anything else. It's certainly better than poisonous pesticides.
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Beth
I am an insect enthusiast and posted hundreds of photos in Bugguide. I am so glad that you are familiar with good and bad insects in the garden. Most people kill everything, sadly. Pleasant video, yay for Jaque. not sure how to spell that awesome name.
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I am an insect enthusiast and posted hundreds of photos in Bugguide. I am so glad that you are familiar with good and bad insects in the garden. Most people kill everything, sadly. Pleasant video, yay for Jaque. not sure how to spell that awesome name.
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