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Brassicaceae
Perennial Candytuft
Iberis sempervirens
Indifference to adversity and steadfast beauty.
- Family
- Brassicaceae
- Genus
- Iberis
- Native to
- southern Europe, Mediterranean
- Bloom season
- Spring, Early Summer
- Type
- evergreen sub-shrub
- Height
- 15–30 cm
- Sunlight
- full sun
- Soil
- well-drained, alkaline to neutral
- Water
- low
- Hardiness
- 3–9
- Lifespan
- perennial
Did you know
- The name 'candytuft' has nothing to do with candy — it comes from Candia, the old name for Crete, where the plant was first found.
- Its genus name Iberis refers to Iberia (Spain and Portugal), another region where it grows wild.
- It belongs to the mustard family (Brassicaceae), making it a relative of broccoli and cabbage.
- The flowers have an unusual arrangement: the two outer petals are larger than the two inner petals.
- It is one of the most reliable rock garden plants, forming dense mats of white that cascade over walls and edges.
Color meanings
White
enduring sweetness and consistency