Alyssum oxycarpum

USDA Hardiness Zones: 4–9

Light: Full sun

Mature Size: Low-growing, compact mound

Attracts: Bees and pollinators

Bloom Time: May–August

Water Needs: Low once established; drought tolerant

Soil: Gritty, sandy, sharply drained soils

Growth Habit: Compact, mound-forming perennial subshrub

Flowers: Bright yellow four-petaled flowers held in small racemes above striking silver foliage

Ideal For: Rock gardens, xeriscapes, alpine gardens, sunny borders, low-water landscapes

Evergreen: Semi-evergreen in mild climates

Why We Love It:
Alyssum oxycarpum stands out for its brilliant silver foliage and cheerful yellow blooms that seem to glow against gravel and stone. Compact, tough, and exceptionally drought tolerant, it thrives in lean rocky soils where many traditional perennials struggle. Its tidy mound-forming habit makes it especially useful for rock gardens, alpine plantings, and sunny borders where texture and foliage contrast are just as important as flowers.

Additional Info:
Performs best in sharply drained soils with minimal supplemental water once established. Well suited to alpine gardens, crevice plantings, and xeric landscapes where its silver foliage provides season-long interest. Low maintenance and highly tolerant of heat, drought, and poor soils.