Plant Care Library

Other Names:  Sweet Alyssum, Alyssum maritimum, Sweet Alison

Brand:  Proven Winners

Description:

Fragrant clusters of soft yellow flowers bloom all season long; a vigorous, trailing variety that is heat tolerant and low maintenance; gorgeous addition to hanging baskets, patio containers, landscapes or used as groundcover

Ornamental Features

Moonlight Knight® Alyssum is blanketed in stunning clusters of fragrant buttery yellow star-shaped flowers at the ends of the stems from mid spring to mid fall. Its tiny narrow leaves remain green in color throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Moonlight Knight® Alyssum is a dense herbaceous annual with a trailing habit of growth, eventually spilling over the edges of hanging baskets and containers. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should not require much pruning, except when necessary, such as to remove dieback. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Moonlight Knight® Alyssum is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Border Edging
• General Garden Use
• Groundcover
• Container Planting
• Hanging Baskets

Planting & Growing

Moonlight Knight® Alyssum will grow to be about 10 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 24 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 18 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. This fast-growing annual will normally live for one full growing season, needing replacement the following year.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average conditions that are neither too wet nor too dry. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by cuttings; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Moonlight Knight® Alyssum is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor containers and hanging baskets. Because of its trailing habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.