Candytuft, a ground-hugging perennial flower frequently used as pathway edging, is a late bloomer that brightens gardens in April or May. Best planted in early fall, it is a slow grower that will brighten gardens for many years. Its white or pink blooms are abundant and showy. Masses of blinding white flowers dot the stems. The color of the blossoms stands out nicely against the backdrop of the dark green foliage and also makes these plants good for moon gardens.

The candytuft flower is usually white, but some cultivars have pink or lilac blooms. The candytuft plant is actually a woody plant, but is most attractive when treated as an herbaceous perennial. Growing candytuft from seeds or cuttings is a money-saving way to have more of the aesthetically pleasing plants.

The Candytuft plant is also known as iberis. These small plants are generally less than a foot tall and are classified as hardy annuals. The flowers have a sweet smell and come in colors such as white, pink and purple.

The plants do well even in poor soils and self-seed readily, so you might find yourself with plants springing up every year. Iberis, commonly called candytuft, is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Brassicaceae.

It comprises annuals, evergreen perennials and subshrubs native to the Old World. The name “candytuft” is not related to candy, but derives from Candia, the former name of Iraklion on the Island of Crete.

We’ll be sharing more about this flower in future