Sweet alyssum may be small, but don’t let that fool you—it’s one of the most powerful flowers you can add to your vegetable garden. Not only does it attract pollinators, but it also brings in the kind of beneficial insects that help you keep pests under control, naturally.
Sweet Alyssum: A Friend to Your Garden
Sweet alyssum is a magnet for the good bugs—hoverflies and parasitic wasps, especially. These tiny helpers play a major role in organic pest control.
Hoverfly larvae, for example, feed on aphids, thrips, and other pests that can really damage your plants. Parasitic wasps (don’t worry—they won’t sting you) lay eggs in pest insects like tomato hornworms and cabbage loopers, which helps keep those populations in check.
And while they’re doing all that, bees and butterflies will be stopping by for nectar. It’s like setting out a welcome mat for the good bugs in your garden.
How It Looks (and Smells!)
Sweet alyssum is low-growing and forms small mounds that stay around 4–6 inches tall and is covered in clusters of tiny blooms in white, lavender, or soft pink. (I have only been able to find the alyssum with white blooms in my local garden center, but I’ll be on the lookout for the lavender and pink seeds.)
Place it along the edges of raised beds, between vegetable rows, and in nearby containers. I like to sprinkle the seeds wherever I see a bare patch—it fills in fast and adds a little softness to the garden layout, keeps the soil covered and adds a layer of protection for your vegetables.
And the scent? It smells like honey. Soft, sweet, and especially noticeable in the early morning or evening when things calm down outside.
Planting Sweet Alyssum in the Garden
You’ve got two easy options here: plant it by seed or pick up starter plants at the garden center. Either one will give you great results.
From seed: Just scatter the seeds directly onto your garden soil. Don’t cover them—light helps them germinate. Press them in gently, water lightly, and in a week or two you’ll start to see green. I usually toss seeds between my vegetables or along the bed edges.
From starts: If you want instant gratification or missed the early sowing window, grab a six-pack from your local garden center and space them 6–8 inches apart around the perimeter of your bed, along with herbs and pollinator attracting plants like zinnias. They’ll fill in fast and start blooming soon after planting.
Sun or Shade? Annual or Perennial?
Sweet alyssum prefers full sun but can tolerate part shade, especially during the hot summer months. It’s usually grown as an annual, but in mild climates, it can self-seed and pop back up the following year.
Sweet alyssum checks all the boxes—it’s beautiful, easy to grow, and one of the best ways to bring balance to your garden naturally. Whether you’re dealing with aphids, hoping to bring in more pollinators, or just want to fill in some space with something useful, this little flower is a perfect choice.
Want more ways to bring beneficial insects to your garden?
Grab my eBook, Garden Allies: Interplanting Herbs and Flowers for Natural Pest Control, and learn how to work with nature, not against it. It comes with a bonus eBook, Pest Patrol: A Journal for Monitoring both Friends and Foes in your garden. (Your kids will love the pest patrol journal) You will also receive 2 bonuses printable garden markers for your herbs and flowers and a printable shopping list for the best herbs and vegetables to put in your vegetable garden.
All this for only $15.00. Get your eBook Here.
Happy Gardening!
Karen
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