Garden and Flowers

CANDYTUFT

This is the more familiar candytuft, with larger florets in each flower head, but without the delightful fragrance of Iberis amara. The color of the flowers varies from white to pink to purplish and crimson, although the last color is rare, and the red-flowered varieties do not self-seed so well. Sowing candytuft is, in fact, very easy, and it is quite a good idea to let children experiment with this “fast flower.” They will be in full flower ten weeks after they were sown. They also sow themselves and often germinate in the cracks between paving stones. Sow directly in the garden in late summer or early spring, in loose soil and preferably in a sunny spot. It is also true that picking helps to prolong the flowering season of this species. Iberis umbellata ‘Rose Flash’ bears deep-pink flowers. It is one of the color choices in the Iberis ‘Flash-mix’ mixture, in which lilac, white, and crimson may be discerned in addition to shades of pink.

How to Grow Globe Candytuft (Iberis Umbellata)

The ideal plant for edging flower beds or growing alongside a path, globe candytuft puts forth a froth of flowers atop attractive, low, deep green foliage for the better part of the summer. It goes by several other variations on its name, including hyacinth-flowered candytuft and rocket candytuft. No matter what you call it, it’s also wonderful for rock gardens.

• Check out your nursery for established seedlings. Globe candytuft is also somewhat easy to start from seed.
• Read the label carefully. Candytuft (Iberis) comes in both annual (grows one year) and perennial (returns year after year) types. Annual candytuft has the advantage of blooming for a longer period of the summer and costing less per plant.
• Plant seeds indoors six to eight weeks before your region’s last frost date. Since candytuft doesn’t like transplanting, start seeds in peat pots – those brown, biodegradeable pots that you plant in the ground right along with the seedlings.
• Plant seedlings outdoors after your last frost date, spacing 6 to 12 inches apart.
• Keep fairly well watered, allowing to dry out slightly between waterings since candytuft is slightly drought-resistant.
• Shear flowers off when they fade; the plants may well bloom again, either later in the spring or again in the autumn. (A cool-season annual, globe candytuft starts to fade once temperatures regularly reach 80 degrees.)
• Pull up plants and discard if the foliage starts to brown severely in summer; otherwise, wait until frost kills the plants and then pull up.