Common name: Candytuft
Family: Brassicaceae, Mustard
Height x width: 3-12" x 12-18"
Growth rate: moderate to fast
Foliage: often evergreen, alternate leaves, entire margins
Flowers: white or pink, 4 petals (photo courtesy bergenia_photos, photobucket.com)
Hardiness: zones 3-7 to 9
Soil: well-drained
Light: full sun
Pests and problems: root rot from too wet
Landscape habit, uses: rock gardens, cascading over walls, edging
Other interest: most originally from Spain (fomerly Iberia, hence genus name), actually a sub-shrub with woody stem bases
Other culture: cut back after flowering every couple years to maintain vigor, quality
Propagation: seed, division, softwood cuttings of non-flowering shoots
Species:
gibraltarica(gi-brawl-tar' i-ka)--Gibraltar Candytuft, zones 7-9, 9-12" x 12", pink and white flowers in spring in umbel-like inflorescences, toothed leaves in basal rosettes
saxatilis(sax-ah-till' iss)--Rock Candytuft, zones 2-7, 3-6" x 6", white flowers in spring, flowering and non-flowering stems, species name means "growing on rocks"
sayana(say-yah' nah)--Miniature Candytuft, zones 3-6, 1-2" x 10", white flowers in early spring, good for alpine troughs
sempervirens(sem-per-vir' ens)--Evergreen Candytuft, zones 3-8,
9-12" x 18", white flowers in spring with cool weather causing more pink
tints, flowers not terminal but in lateral axils, long period of bloom,
most popular of genus with most cultivars (often few differences), used
for centuries
Cultivars: (of sempervirens)
| Cultivars, other taxa | flowers | other |
| 'Alexander's White' | white | 10-12" tall, many flowers |
| 'Autumn Beauty' | white | 10" tall, fall rebloom |
| 'Autumn Snow' | clear white, large | 8-10" tall, fall rebloom |
| 'Climax' | white | 12" tall, shears as hedge |
| 'Dwarf Snowflake' | pure white, 2-3" clusters | 6-8" tall |
| 'Findel' | white, many | 10-12" tall, nice foliage |
| 'Little Gem' (Weisser Zwerg) | clear white, small | 5-8" tall |
| 'Nana' | white, small | 6" tall |
| 'October Glory' | white | 8" tall, fall reblooms |
| 'Perfection' | white, many | 8" tall, compact, rounded |
| 'Purity' | white, many | 6-8" tall, green leaves |
| 'Pygmaea' | white, small | 2-3" tall, groundcover |
| 'Snowflake' (Schneeflocke) | pure white, 2-3" clusters | 8-10" tall |
| 'Snowmantle' | pure white | 6-8" tall, compact |
| 'Winter Magic'(Winterzauber) | white | 10" tall, early flowers |
©Authored by Dr. Leonard Perry, Professor, University of Vermont as part of PSS123 course.
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