Candytuft
An evergreen perennial with attractive white flowers Iberis sempervirens is commonly called Candytuft. This is is a plant that lasts for many years and will flower over a long period.
This is a very easy care plant that can be grown beneath taller flowering perennials where it almost acts as a ground cover plant.
Plant it in with the spring flowering bulbs and it will cover the area after they die back.
Care and maintenance.
Best planted in a drift, dig the soil over well before planting, adding some well rotted compost and cow manure. The best time to plant the beautiful ground cover is in spring, in temperate climates you can plant from spring right through until fall/autumn as long as you provide enough water through summer.
- Plant individual plugs at around 10 – 15 cms apart.
- Water in well with a liquid seaweed fertiliser.
- Mulch around the individual plants to help retain some moisture.
- Water through the first summer.
- Fertilise by topdressing with a little cow manure in winter, use a regular slow release fertiliser if growing in containers.
Pruning Candytuft
After flowering it is best to cut the plant right back to ground level, this keeps the plant tidy and low growing and prevents it from forming woody stems. Tip pruning after flowering will encourage more flowering, however this will depend on your climate zone.
Propagation
Easy to propagate from stem cuttings taken from the current years growth in spring to summer. It is also possible to propagate Candytuft from seeds sown directly into the soil in spring to summer, or indeed trays in spring.
Summary Information
- Botanical name – Iberis sempervirens
- Common name: Candytuft
- Position – Full sun to a little afternoon shade.
- Soil – Humus rich and slightly alkaline although it os not a really fussy plant.
- Heigh – 20 to 25 cms
- Width – 30 to 90 cms
- Flowers – Small white terminal flowers. Pink flowering forms are also available.
- Flowering Time – Spring tp summer
- Foliage – Mid green
You can buy Candytuft Plants Online from the following participating nurseries
862 Midland Highway Mount Rowan Vic 3352
We offer over 245 varieties of Fuchsia, tubestock, pots, baskets and standards. Mail order specialists. Open 7 days by appointment.
www.brenlissaonlinenursery.com.au