How to Grow an Alyssum Plant
Alyssum, or basket of gold (Alyssum saxtile), is a mountain-native perennial plant grown in rock gardens for its yellow springtime flowers atop gray to green foliage. Other species of alyssum are called alpine alyssum (Alyssum alpinum) or mountain madwort (Alyssum montanum), both yellow flowering. Easily grown, all will thrive for years if given a minimum of 4 hours of direct sunlight, coarse, moist soils with good drainage and are trimmed back after flowering. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Purchase container-grown plants from a reputable nursery or garden center. Select plants that look vigorous with no yellowing or scraggly leaves.
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Select a location in the garden that receives at least 4 hours of direct sunlight a day. If your climate has a cool summer, alyssum will grow well in full sun; in hot summer regions there should be shade in the midday.
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Test the soil in the location selected for the alyssum plants. Dig with the trowel and examine the soil texture, noting if it was dense and compacted or easy to dig. Ideally, the soil should be friable and moist with bits of sand and rock that allow for excellent water drainage. Avoid soils that are wet and/or heavy clay.
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Dig a planting hole the same depth as the container of the alyssum earmarked for planting. Make the planting hole twice as wide. The bottom of the hole should be level.
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Remove the plant from its container by gently inverting it and jostling the plant until it slides out. Upright the plant and situate it in the center of hole, rotating it as needed for best aesthetics.
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Push soil back into the planting hole, lightly tucking it around the root ball. Fill the hole until the soil level matches the top of the plant's root ball. Tamp the soil lightly to compact it. Add more soil if needed to ensure the soil level is even, not below, the height of the plant's root ball.
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Gently water around the root ball to compact the soil and removed any air pockets in the hole. Push more soil around the root ball if the watering drops the soil level below the matching level of the root ball. Try to keep water off the foliage of the plants.
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Place a 1/4-inch layer of gravel, grit or sand atop the soil around the plant as a decorative top dressing, if desired. This helps keep stems from laying directly on moist soil and rotting and looks particularly nice if the alyssum grows among stones in a rockery.
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Trim back plants with a landscape scissors after they finish flowering. Cut back stems by 40 to 50 percent and allow the plants to rejuvenate each year during the remainder of the summer growing season.
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Tips & Warnings
Alyssum plants will drop seeds after the flowers fade, causing young plants to germinate in nearby soil. However, allowing plants to set seed shortens their longevity. The trimming after flowering rejuvenates the plant and may result in a light reblooming later in summer.
Plants also perform better if the garden soil is not too rich or fertile. Sandy and gravelly soils with some organic matter are best, although the plant is quite adaptable.
Alyssum should not be overwatered. Soil can be kept moist, but never waterlogged or soggy.
Sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima) is also a rock garden plant that is normally grown as an annual for edging flower beds and has small white to violet blossoms. Don't confuse it with the botanical group of plants known as alyssum, as their culture and longevity differ.
