Plant Height: 6 inches
Flower Height: 8 inches
Spacing: 18 inches
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: 4b
Description:
Often treated as a perennial, this is actually a low growing shrub; features a froth of showy pink flowers in spring that mature to dazzling lilac; tidy evergreen foliage for the rest of the year, benefits from snow cover; good for general garden use
Ornamental Features
Sweetheart Candytuft is smothered in stunning clusters of pink flowers with lilac purple overtones at the ends of the stems from mid to late spring. Its narrow leaves remain green in color throughout the year.
Landscape Attributes
Sweetheart Candytuft is an herbaceous evergreen perennial with a ground-hugging habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.
This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Sweetheart Candytuft is recommended for the following landscape applications;
- Mass Planting
- Border Edging
- General Garden Use
- Groundcover
Planting & Growing
Sweetheart Candytuft will grow to be only 6 inches tall at maturity extending to 8 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 24 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 18 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an evegreen perennial, this plant will typically keep its form and foliage year-round.
This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.