• Photo of Iberis amara (Iberis amaras)

Plant Profile: Iberis amara

Taxonomy: Iberis amara

Names

Candytuft

  • Photo of Iberis amara (Iberis amaras)

Phonetic Spelling:eye-BEER-is a-MAH-rah

Genus:Iberis

Species:amara

Family:Brassicaceae

Rocket candytuft is a decorative annual plant, sometimes found growing wild, belonging to the mustard family (Brassicaceae). It originates from regions in western and southern Europe, including Britain, and extends to North Africa. The species name, amara, is derived from the Latin term for "bitter," highlighting its distinctive taste. This plant thrives in moist, well-drained soil under full sunlight and can adapt to less fertile or alkaline conditions. However, it tends to produce fewer flowers when grown in partial shade. You can often find it in gardens, along roadsides, and in other disturbed areas.

**Seasons of Interest:**

- **Bloom:** Summer, specifically from July to August.

Iberis amara Feature Summary

Iberis amara Image Gallery

Tags

#fragrant
#red
#white
#full sun tolerant
#annual
#lilac
#wildlife plant
#pink flowers
#nectar plant
#rabbit resistant
#summer flowers
#deer resistant
#spring interest
#alkaline soil tolerant
#poor soils tolerant
#partial shade tolerant
#bee friendly

Similar Plants

Iberis amara is often confused with:

Iberis amara Feature Summary

Attributes
western and southern Europe, including Britain, to N. Africa
Flowers are pollinated by bees.
Flowers
Corolla is irregular, white to light violet. Petals 4, of which 2 outermost long (6 mm (0.24 in.), and 2 innermost short (3 mm (0.12 in.)). Sepals 4, stamens 6. Flowers fragrant, inflorescence initially dense, becoming more sparse in fruiting stage. Flowers in July-August.
Pink
Purple/Lavender
White
Red/Burgundy
4-5 petals/rays
Irregular
< 1 inch
Leaves
Alternate, lowest soon withering, middle and upper leaves stalkless, narrowly obovate, sparse-toothed at tip (sometimes with short margins), margin sparsely hairy, 3-veined.
Whole Plant Traits
Annual
Ground Cover
Mounding
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Good Drainage
Less than 12 inches
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Fruit
Landscape
Pollinator Garden
Deer
Rabbits
Poor Soil

Iberis amara Attributes

Iberis amara: Country Or Region Of Origin

western and southern Europe, including Britain, to N. Africa

Iberis amara: Wildlife Value

Flowers are pollinated by bees.

Iberis amara: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Iberis amara Flowers

Iberis amara: Flower Description

Corolla is irregular, white to light violet. Petals 4, of which 2 outermost long (6 mm (0.24 in.), and 2 innermost short (3 mm (0.12 in.)). Sepals 4, stamens 6. Flowers fragrant, inflorescence initially dense, becoming more sparse in fruiting stage. Flowers in July-August.

Iberis amara: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Pink
filter_vintage
Purple/Lavender
filter_vintage
Red/Burgundy
filter_vintage
White

Iberis amara: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Iberis amara: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Iberis amara: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Iberis amara: Flower Petals

2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals

Iberis amara: Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Iberis amara: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Iberis amara Leaves

Iberis amara: Leaf Description

Alternate, lowest soon withering, middle and upper leaves stalkless, narrowly obovate, sparse-toothed at tip (sometimes with short margins), margin sparsely hairy, 3-veined.

Iberis amara: Leaf Color

spa
Green

Iberis amara: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Iberis amara: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Iberis amara: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Iberis amara: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Iberis amara: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Iberis amara Whole Plant Traits

Iberis amara: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Iberis amara: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Iberis amara: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Iberis amara: Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Iberis amara Cultural Conditions

Iberis amara: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Iberis amara: Soil pH

Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)

Iberis amara: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Iberis amara: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Iberis amara: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Iberis amara: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Iberis amara Fruit

Iberis amara: Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Iberis amara Stem

Iberis amara: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Iberis amara Landscape

Iberis amara: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Iberis amara: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Iberis amara: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees