Alyssum is also called alyssum or lobularia, this flower has many species and varieties. This plant prefers moderate subtropics, grows on the American continent, in Eurasia and even in some parts of Africa. This flower has perennial and annual species, heat-loving and winter-hardy. The only thing that unites all these alissums is a bright color and honey aroma.

Description of alissum

This flower belongs to the undersized, the height of different species ranges from 10 to 40 cm. It grows with a shrub or a single plant, the root system is fibrous, superficial. Egg-shaped leaves have no petioles; the branches are covered with a small thick fibrous cover. Inflorescences in the form of a brush contain many flowers, consisting of four petals.Flowers are a mixture of various shades - yellow, white, silver, scarlet, orange, purple and purple. Alissum propagated by seeds or vegetatively. It is used in landscape design when creating large blocks, in single cultivation by ampel method or as a houseplant.

Important! This plant is considered one of the best honey plants, therefore it is preferable to grow it on a personal plot, whose owner is engaged in breeding bees.

Types of Alissum

According to information from leading flower growers, at present, among the species of alissum, there are from 200 to 250 representatives. Unfortunately, this information varies, as biologists and florists have not yet decided on a clear list of varieties and species of this representative of the cabbage family. It is authentically known that perennial plants prefer a cold climate, and annuals are thermophilic and are distinguished by lush and long flowering. It is worth describing several particularly common species of this flower.

Ampelic

Ampel alissum is designed for growing in pots or pots, suspended near the doors of a summer house or garden gazebo.

Bright representatives of the ampelous appearance of this plant:

1. Clear cristall (Pure Crystal). A characteristic feature is a high degree of endurance to low temperatures. Height - from 15 to 22 cm, width - up to 35 cm. Large inflorescences of white and beige shades form the shape of a ball. It can grow not only in limbo, but also on a flower bed. It blooms from mid-summer to September.
2. Esther Bonnet. Flower height - up to 25 cm. Inflorescences are small, irregular spherical in shape. Flowers have a light pink and cream shade. The leaves are medium-sized, oblong. Flowering occurs from early July to mid-September.
3. Purple princess (Princess in Purple). The length of the shoots is from 25 to 35 cm. The leaves are narrow and elongated, pale green in color. Inflorescences differ in a dark lilac shade. It blooms from early July to late August.

Nautical

Varieties of the marine species of this plant prefer to grow in areas with warm average annual temperatures. They grow in bushes, reaching a height of up to 40 cm. Marine representatives of alissum, as a rule, are long-term.

Important! For planting this plant should choose fertile slightly alkaline or neutral soil. Planted it in dry places. Even stone mounds are suitable, the main thing is that the soil should not be marshy.

The most famous varieties:

1. Eastern night. One of the new varieties is considered dwarf, since it grows to only 10 cm. This flower, despite its short stature, has very lush inflorescences of light and dark purple hues. It is often used as one of the elements of landscape design in the formation of flower beds. It blooms from late June to early September.
2. Easter hat. An annual plant, characterized by early and long flowering, from early June to September. Height - from 15 to 20 cm, flowers of white, cream and light pink shades.
3. Snow carpet. A distinctive feature of this flower is large inflorescences of white color and spherical shape. The height is small - up to 10 cm, but a sprawling crown can reach up to 35 cm. The leaves are small, rounded. Prefers areas open to sunlight. It blooms from mid-summer to early September.

Silver

Silvery alissums are one of the highest representatives of the genus. They have a wide crown, forming an oval bush, reaching a height and width of up to 40 cm. The leaves of this variety grow well only below, the rest of the visible part of the plant is occupied by flowers. The second feature of silver alissums is their high resistance to frost, they withstand up to -25 ° C.

Did you know? «The cradle» This plant is considered the southern part of Europe. Its name translates as “against dog rabies,” probably in the old days this flower was used against rabies.

Typical representatives:

1. The Snow Queen. Plant height reaches 40 cm, crown width - 35 cm. It differs in decorative properties, expressed in very large inflorescences. The flowers are yellow, purple, pink, white, red and lavender. Often used in the design of borders, blooms from June to September.
2. Bimbo. Perennial flower of short stature, height - up to 20 cm, crown width - 20–25 cm. The inflorescences are large, spherical, flowers of white and cream shades. It blooms from late July to late September.
3. Purple haze.Its height rarely reaches 15 cm. The flowers are light and dark purple in color. Used for planting in flower beds or in sections between road tiles. It blooms for a long time: from early June to late September.

Rocky

This type of flower has dense, dense long branches, the crown reaches 40 cm wide. If the branches are not cut, then at the end of the season they can become bare. The leaves are small, gray-green. Rock alissum in the form of a bush grows.

Did you know? This plant is so unpretentious that it can easily grow between concrete borders or stone mounds.

Popular varieties:

1. Plenum. A distinctive feature of this variety is large peduncles that frame the bush with a wide cap. Plant height reaches 25-30 cm, width - up to 35 cm. Flowers have bright yellow and orange hues. It blooms from June to early September.
2. Citrinum. Low variety, height reaches 15 cm, crown width - 10-15 cm. It blooms very plentifully, from early June to September. Lemon and yellow flowers.
3. Golden wave.All species of alissum are good honey bees, but this variety among all is especially distinguished by its honey aroma and is considered one of the most attractive for bees. The height of the bush is up to 20 cm, the width of the crown is 15–20 cm. The plant blooms only the next year after planting. The flowers have a light golden hue.

Creeping

Representatives of creeping alissum can reach heights of up to 50-60 cm. They have very dense elastic branches that are intertwined with each other and turn into a continuous litter or carpet. The leaves of these flowers have the shape of a shovel with a silver patterned texture. Peduncles are small, with flowers of all shades of yellow. The bush blooms from late May to late August.

Mountain or Gmelin

Oddly enough, the mountain alissum is different from the rocky. First of all, representatives of this species are low - up to 20 cm. Its second feature is frost resistance: it can withstand up to -20 ° C. The stems are gray-green in color, bend low to the soil. The leaves are rounded, tapering to the apex. Usually flowers are bright yellow. It grows on hills and mountain slopes.

Typical representatives:

1. Pink carpet. Height - up to 12 cm, width - 10-15 cm. Has a very branched crown covering the entire soil under the plant. Inflorescences are light pink in color. It is used for decoration of flowerbeds and personal plots. It blooms from June to September.
2. Lensky. Reaches a height of up to 20 cm. The width of the crown is 15–18 cm. The leaves are elongated, silver-green. Inflorescences are formed in the form of a brush of a bright yellow hue. It blooms from late May to mid-August. It grows on rocky soils.
3. Big Jam White Diamond.One of the highest mountain varieties, height - 35 cm, crown width - up to 30 cm. The inflorescences are large, lilac-white, lavender and purple. It blooms from late June to late September.

The types and varieties of alissum are diverse, they can grow under different conditions in the soil, pot or even on a rocky surface. The main thing for a gardener is to decide which variety is best for him and to give him proper care.