Wild candytuft

Wild candytuft: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Annual, an upright, branching plant about 30 cm high and 20 cm wide.

Leaves

Narrow, lance-shaped and toothed, fresh green.

Flower

Small white flowers in short clusters that lengthen as they bloom; from June to August.

Scent

Lightly scented, especially in the sun.

Fruit

Small, flat, rounded-oval pods notched at the tip; they contain the seed.

Flowering: June–August · Sowing: March–May and September

Why grow it?

• Pure white, lightly scented flower clusters from June to August.
• Bees and butterflies love the flowers.
• Grows on dry, chalky soil where many other summer annuals struggle.
• Easy to grow from seed, sown in place in spring or in September.
• Suits a rock garden, a wild border or the edge of a flower meadow.

Wild candytuft: where does it grow best?

• Full sun: in shade the plant becomes thin and flowers little.
• Chalky to neutral, poor, well-drained soil: sandy, loamy or clay. Rich soil gives plenty of leaf and few flowers.
• Dry: tolerates drought well, but not waterlogged soil.
• Thin to about 15–20 cm between plants so that they have enough space and air.

Light

Sun

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Neutral or chalky

Moisture

Dry

Size

0.3 m tall, 0.2 m wide

Hardiness

Tolerates light frost (to -10 °C)

Goes well with

• Poppy: Red flowers in a wild, sunny border beside the white of the candytuft.
• Cornflower: Blue flowers that stand out against the white clusters.
• Love-in-a-mist: Blue, white or pink flowers on very fine foliage, for a light, wild planting.
• California poppy: Orange or yellow flowers on dry, sunny soil.

Wild candytuft: when and how to plant it?

1. Sow in place in March–May or in September; it dislikes transplanting, so sow straight onto the final spot.
2. Rake the soil fine and clear it of weeds; poor soil is fine, even sandy or chalky.
3. Scatter the seed thinly and cover it with a very thin layer of soil or sand.
4. Keep the soil lightly moist until the seed germinates, which takes about 1–3 weeks.
5. Thin the seedlings to 15–20 cm between plants.
6. Sow again every 2–3 weeks until May for continuous flowering, or in September for early flowers next year.

Care

Water

Little: only in prolonged drought or in containers; wet soil causes rot.

Feeding

Not needed; the poorer the better. Too much feed gives plenty of leaf and few flowers.

Spent flowers

Cut off faded clusters to prolong flowering. Leave a few if you want to collect seed.

Weeding

Keep young plants free of weeds; they are small and quickly swamped.

Support

Usually not needed; in windy spots the stems can be supported.

Tip: Sow in place from March to May or in September and sow again every 2–3 weeks for a long flowering period. Never sow on rich or wet soil.

Wild candytuft: when to prune it?

When: Pruning is not needed. During flowering, cut off faded clusters and clear the plants in autumn.

How:

• Cut off faded flower clusters just above a side shoot or leaf.
• Remove withered stems as soon as they look untidy.
• Let a few plants set seed if you want flowers again next year.

Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Seed

Sow in place in March–May or in September. Sow again every 2–3 weeks until May for continuous flowering.

Collecting seed

In August–September, when the pods are brown and dry: rub the pods to release the seed, store it dry and cool and sow it in autumn or the following spring.

Wild candytuft: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −10 °C: protect in harsh winters.

• Annual, but the seed and plants sown in September are hardy down to about −10 °C.
• Autumn sowings overwinter outdoors as small rosettes and flower earlier the following year; protect them in hard frost with a thin layer of dry leaves or fleece.
• Clear the dead plants after flowering or leave them in place to self-seed.

Diseases and pests

• Flea beetles: Small holes in the leaves, especially in a dry spring. Keep the soil lightly moist, cover young seedlings with fleece and do not sow too early.
• Cabbage white caterpillars: Eaten leaves, green caterpillars. Pick the caterpillars off by hand or cover the plant with insect mesh.
• Aphids: Small aphids on young shoots. Wash off with water or let ladybirds deal with them.
• Rot in wet soil: Wilted plants with a soft base in soil that is too wet or heavy. Sow on free-draining, dry soil.

Through the year

• March: Sow in place on dry, chalky soil.
• April: Sow. Thin seedlings to 15–20 cm.
• May: Last sowing for late flowers. Weed.
• June: Flowering begins. White, lightly scented clusters.
• July: Full flower. Cut off faded clusters.
• August: Last flowers. Let seed ripen.
• September: Sow for early flowers next year. Collect seed.
• October: Clear dead plants.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Butterflies

Nectar for butterflies.

Did you know?

• The species name amara means bitter in Latin and refers to the bitter taste of the plant.
• The genus name Iberis refers to Iberia, the peninsula of Spain and Portugal, where many species occur.
• The flower clusters lengthen during flowering: pods form at the bottom while flowers are still opening at the top.