Alissum

Perennial Alyssum: photo of flowers

Alyssum is a very good soil perennial. The plant itself is very bright and attracts everyone with its fragrant smell. Gardeners love to use alyssum along with other plants. Here you will learn about the types of alissum and how to grow it properly.

Interesting! Some scientists believe that the name of the flower may have appeared as a result of its medicinal properties. "A lyssa" in Latin means "free from dog rabies." Nowadays, medicinal properties are not used.

Alyssum: flower description

Perennial Alyssum: photo of flowers

Perennial Alyssum: planting and care video

Alyssum has several names - lawn, stone and lobularia, they are usually used by decorators. The flower is quite unpretentious, very beautiful and finds its use among gardeners due to its melliferous nature.

This plant belongs to the cruciferous family. The height of the stems varies from eight to thirty centimeters, the flowers have four petals, the leaves are oblong and small.

As alyssum ages, the plant begins to stiffen, and the leaves become slightly smoky. Flowers come in very different colors, with the most common varieties being lemon, scarlet and yellow.

Any alyssum flowers smell very sweet of honey and vanilla. At the end of flowering, fruits with small grains appear in place of flowers.

The homeland of the plant is usually considered the Mediterranean. There are about a hundred different types of alyssum. The main groups are distinguished: annuals / perennials and shrubs / herbaceous.

This beautiful plant is known for its stunning flowering, which lasts from early summer to mid-autumn.

As already mentioned, alissum is an unpretentious plant, it can withstand drought, grows well on almost any land. Loves the sun, but adapts well to winter. Possible breeding methods are root division, propagation by seeds and cuttings.

The main types and varieties of alyssum

The already recognized species are constantly being replenished with new hybrids. The most popular types are sea, creeping, mountain and rocky.

Mountain alissum

A more scientific name is gmelin. This is a low plant, shoots usually spread along the ground and the length is usually no more than fifteen to twenty centimeters. The flowers of this alyssum bloom bright yellow in the middle of spring, fruits with seeds are formed in May. In order for the flower to retain its decorative effect, it is necessary to trim the shoots when they grow seven centimeters.

Gmelin is a herbaceous perennial common in Ukraine and Moldova. Gmelin grows almost everywhere, including ditches. The species is frost-resistant and loves black soil.

Alyssum Marine

Inflorescences in nature are usually light purple or white in color. For decorative purposes, the flowers of the inflorescences are much larger. The marine species resembles small bushes up to twenty centimeters in diameter. Also, the leaves are pubescent and slightly silvery. In warm climates, flowers are constantly in bloom. In the temperate zone, the plant is an annual. The plant prefers sandy soil and grows well on beaches, therefore it easily tolerates droughts.

Pyrenean alyssum

The main features are oval long leaves, stems about twenty centimeters high and small flowers with petals no more than eight centimeters. The buds fully open in the summer. Hybrids of this species love sandy and calcareous soil, do not require special care and are well adapted to environmental conditions. Sometimes the buds open before the ideal external conditions arise.

Alyssum creeping

In a different way, beetroot grows in Europe and western Asia. It is a perennial, unpretentious and seasoned by environmental conditions, not afraid of anything. As the name suggests, this bush really does creep along the ground. Height can be up to sixty centimeters and dense pubescence, both on leaves and flowers. The species usually blooms in late spring.

Rock alyssum

The bushes of this type of alissum are a hemisphere, "strewn" with bright gold of blossoming flowers. The autumn period of yellowing of leaves is considered to be especially decorative. The diameter of the bush is usually about thirty-five centimeters. As they age, the stems can grow stiff, the leaves fall off in winter, the rosette is well preserved. Flowering lasts a little more than a month, starting in late spring, sometimes blooming a second time in August. This species is found throughout Europe, with the exception of England. All varieties of alyssum are very sensitive to the lack of water and solar heat.

Alyssum is susceptible to cruciferous flea beetles, a solution of water and vinegar helps to get rid of them, sometimes sprinkling with a small amount of ash.

Possible combinations when landing Alyssum

In landscape design, alissum is used very often, despite its low stature for some gardeners. The main place for decorating with alyssum is borders. It is also possible to decorate alleys with neat flowers and sometimes even rock cracks, both in nature and, if necessary, on sites.

Alyssum flowers are used in a wide range of decoration. With the help of alissum, you can decorate your balcony, mixborder or play solitaire in rockeries. Due to the good adaptability of the flower to droughts and the sun, nothing will happen to it. Decorators often take advantage of the long flowering period of the plant when planting it in flower beds. It is important to consider the size of the future bush and the timing of flowering.
The combination of white alyssum inflorescences with bright flowers, for example, tulips, looks good. Bright combinations of purple + purple look beneficial.

Now you can assemble a whole picture from different types and colors of alyssum. It will delight you with its flowering in any combination of colors.

Alyssum: photo of flowers

Perennial alissum: photo of flowers