(Lobularia maritima ‘Royal Carpet’)

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Royal Carpet Sweet Alyssum is a cool weather mat-forming annual flower that is native to the Mediterranean region but can be commonly found growing on sandy beaches and dunes throughout the western, eastern, and southern United States. At maturity, this plant features spreading mounds of well-branched stems full of tiny, purple, 4 petaled flowers that smell like warm honey on a cold day! This plant can be grown in a container or hanging basket, attracts bees, butterflies, tolerates drought, it is edible and even has medicinal properties!

  • General Information
  • Seed Starting
  • Crop Care
  • Harvesting
  • Seed Saving
  • Culinary
  • Medicinal
  • Companion Planting
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Family: Brassicaceae 

Genus: Lobularia

Species: maritima

Variety: Royal Carpet Sweet Alyssum

Also Known As: Sweet Alyssum, Sweet Alice, Sweet Alison, Seaside Lobularia.

Awards: 1953 All-America Selections Winner

Native to: Algeria, Baleares, Corse, Egypt, France, Italy, Libya, Morocco, Portugal, Sardegna, Sicilia, Sinai, Spain, Tunisia, Yugoslavia.

Introduced into: Alabama, Albania, Altay, Argentina Northeast, Argentina Northwest, Arizona, Austria, Azores, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bermuda, Bolivia, British Columbia, California, Canary Is., Cape Provinces, Cape Verde, Central European Rus, Chile Central, Chile North, Chile South, China North-Central, China Southeast, Colombia, Colorado, Connecticut, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Delaware, Denmark, Dominican Republic, East Aegean Is., Ecuador, El Salvador, Fiji, Florida, Georgia, Great Britain, Greece, Guatemala, Gulf of Guinea Is., Haiti, Hungary, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Ireland, Korea, Kriti, Krym, Lebanon-Syria, Louisiana, Madeira, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mauritius, Mexico Central, Mexico Northwest, Michigan, Mississippi, Netherlands, New Caledonia, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New South Wales, New York, New Zealand North, Norfolk Is., North Carolina, North Caucasus, Northern Provinces, Norway, Nova Scotia, Ohio, Ontario, Oregon, Pakistan, Pennsylvania, Peru, Poland, Queensland, Québec, Rhode I., Romania, South Australia, South Carolina, Sweden, Taiwan, Tasmania, Texas, Transcaucasus, Turkey, Uruguay, Utah, Vermont, Victoria, Washington, Western Australia, Xinjiang.

Grown as: Annual/Tender Perennial
 
Maturity (Blooms): April to June

Hardiness: Tender. Annual that dies off in the winter and reseeds for the following year.

Light: Plants prefer full sun but will tolerate light shade in warmer areas.

Water: Dry to medium.

Soil Moisture: Medium moisture, well-drained.

Suitability: Drought, Dry Soil.
​
Attracts Beneficial Insects?: Yes. Bees, Butterflies, Hoverflies, and Predatory Wasps.

Containers?: Yes. This plant can be used in containers and hanging baskets.

Maintenance: Medium

Height: 4​”
 
Spacing: 6”

Sow Depth: On soil surface
 
USDA Zone: 1-12

Produces: spreading mounds of well-branched stems full of tiny, purple, 4 petaled flowers that smell like warm honey on a cold day!

Garden Uses: Mass in border fronts or rock gardens. Underplanting. Edging and bedding. Mixed containers.
​Direct sow in spring, after the soil warms. Press the seed into the surface of the soil, since it needs light to germinate. Keep the soil lightly moist until germination. The seed can also be started indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost date of spring. Keep the soil lightly moist, and transplant the seedlings as soon as there is no chance of frost.
​Keep the plants watered, since they do not appreciate dry soil. To encourage rebloom, cut the plant back by one third. In the heat of summer, blooming will decrease. This plant makes an excellent ground cover or container plant, and attracts butterflies and bees. It may reseed in good growing conditions.
​These blossoms do not perform well as cut flowers, and are best enjoyed outdoors.
​After the flowers fade, the plant will produce seed pods. Watch the pods carefully, since they eventually split and release their seeds. Harvest the seeds as soon as they ripen to their mature light brown color. The entire plant can also be removed and spread out to dry, and the seeds removed from the pods. Store the seeds in a cool, dry place.
The young leaves, stems and flowers of Sweet Alyssum are sometimes used to flavor or decorate many dishes. For starters, it can be added into something easy such as a salad, folded in an omelet, or added to soups. Sweet Alyssum flowers candy very well or you can free them in water and make jazzy ice cubes! Finally you can dress up any dish or snack tray by adding Sweet Alyssum as a garnish. ​
​Sweet Alyssum is used for many medicinal purposes. It is used to treat common cold, abdominal pain, and coughs. It also is used as in the treatment of rabies. Mostly, it is used in managing disorders associated with retention of fluids such as edema and ascites because it helps eliminate excess water from the body.
Project Purity Seeds can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

Companion Planting

Sweet Alyssum is a great companion plant for Petunia, Dianthus, Dichondra, Geraniums, Pansies, Strawflower, Persian Shield, Dusty Miller, Osteospermum, Calibrachoa, Black-Eyed Susan's, Lavender, and Gaillardia,

Problems

​No serious insect or disease problems. Damping off is an occasional problem with seedlings.

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