Sweet small flowers.
- Alyssum is also known as sweet alyssum or sweet alison.
- Alyssum is an annual flowering, small, bushy plant that grows to about 5 – 30 cm (2-12 inches) in height.
- Alyssum’s scientific name is Lobularia maritima or Alyssum maritimum, which comes from the Greek words meaning ‘small pod’ and ‘marine’.
- Alyssum has clusters of small flowers, approximately 5 mm in diameter, with four petals.
- Alyssum has flowers that are white, pink, rosey red, violet or lilac in colour.
- Alyssum flowers have a sweet smell and are pollinated by insects.
- In its natural environment, alyssum is commonly found growing on beaches or sand dunes.
- In civilisation, alyssum is commonly found growing in cracks or walls.
- Alyssum often self seeds in the garden and is commonly found popping up in unexpected places.
- Alyssum is native to coastal areas and islands in and surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, as well as the European islands in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Bibliography:
Lobularia Maritima 3 February 2013, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobularia_maritima>
