Candytuft - Iberis umbellata
1/4 teaspoon open pollinated seeds from our gardens for $4.00.
Iberis umbellata, common name garden candytuft or globe candytuft, is a herbaceous annual that requires well-drained soil but tolerates a wide range of soil types including poor soils and very alkaline soil. It is a native of the Mediterranean region and found growing wild through most of Europe. Candytufts are fast-growing annuals, perfect for small balcony gardens and as boarder / edging plants as it grows to a height of 30cm by 20cm wide. I was impressed how it handled the frost and how fast it grew. Flowering in spring it looked stunning at the base of my Sweet Peas. Plants will flower around 6 weeks after germination.
Excellent cut flower lasting 5 to 7 days. Cut when half of the flowers are open and condition overnight in cold water.
Seeds are sown direct in autumn as they require a cold spell in the damp compost to break their dormancy. You can also plant seeds out in early spring for summer flowering. To do this place your seeds in an air tight container in the fridge for 6 weeks. The seed germinates within 3 weeks.