Native Plant Alternatives to Lobularia maritima (Sweet Alyssum)

Lobularia maritima, commonly known as sweet alyssum or carpet of snow, is a low-growing flowering plant native to the Mediterranean region. It’s popular in gardens for its small, fragrant flowers that bloom in clusters and its ability to attract beneficial insects, such as bees, hoverflies, and butterflies. However, it can self-seed readily and become naturalized in some regions.

Lobularia maritima (Sweet Alyssum) is listed in the Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States.

According to the U.S Forest Service, Invasive species have contributed to the decline of 42% of U.S. endangered and threatened species, and 18% of U.S. endangered or threatened species. Invasive species compete directly with native species for moisture, sunlight, nutrients, and space. They displace and alter native plant communities, degrade wildlife habitat and water quality, and potentially lead to increased soil erosion.

The federal government has estimated that nearly 25 percent of the 20,000 plant species native to North America are at risk of extinction, many of these through habitat loss. You can help reverse this trend by planting great native plants in your garden.

A plant is considered native if it occurs naturally in a particular region or ecosystem without human introduction. There are many benefits in growing native plants. First, these plants are better adapted to soils, moisture, and weather than exotic plants that evolved in other parts of the world. They need fewer fertilizers and pesticides or use less water. Second, they are unlikely to escape and become invasive, destroying natural habitats. Third, they support wildlife, providing shelter and food for native birds and insects, while exotic plants do not.