Iberis ‚Ibsz0007‘ MERMAID LAVENDER candytuft
Symbivit Tric (arbuscular)
Symbivit (arbuscular)Iberis
The genus Iberis belongs to the mustard family and comprises roughly thirty related species united by the clear legacy of Mediterranean rocky slopes and a set of shared traits: four‑petalled flowers, dry siliques and a tendency towards low, spreading growth. Even so, there are striking differences among them. Perhaps the best‑known, Iberis sempervirens, is a typical evergreen cushion plant that forms continuous white carpets in spring; Iberis saxatilis is a rock‑hugging, even lower species that clings tightly to stone and excels in gravel gardens; Iberis umbellata, often grown as an annual, has more upright stems and a wider range of flower colours; Iberis amara, known as bitter candytuft, is annual or biennial and biologically notable for its asymmetric petals (two are markedly larger), a feature frequently used in genetic studies; and several local endemics, especially those in mountain enclaves, are adapted to very specific substrates. All share a preference for sun, well‑drained, often calcareous soils and the ability to form dense mats that in the wild often resist herbivory thanks to the bitter, pungent secondary compounds typical of the mustard family. In early spring, however, their nectar‑rich flowers serve as an abundant resource for many pollinators. The genus Iberis was formally established by Carl Linnaeus (1707–1778) in Species Plantarum (1753), though the name itself comes from classical Latin, where it refers to the Iberian Peninsula.
MERMAID LAVENDER is a beautiful, evergreen, and low growing candytuft variety producing short, f low growth with upright stems 20-30 cm high, topped with large inflorescences 4-5 cm across. The flowers are bright lilac pink and their colour does not bleed. In fact, quite the opposite: as the flower matures, the colour becomes more saturated. It is a cross between a hybrid lavender and i. umbellata, which naturally produces pink flowers, but it lacks the nice habit that MERMAID LAVENDER exhibits. The plants dense, compact, and mounding. MERMAID LAVENDER is a variety bred in 2015 in the Netherlands by Silvan Adelmar Kamstra for Syngenta Europe. It is protected by patent No’s PP34308 (USA - 2022) and EU 62912 (Europe - 2023).
The main flowering starts in June and if you prune the plant in half after that, it will come back within a couple of weeks, producing a denser clump and another flush of flowers in late summer. The leaves are dark green, shortly lanceolate and conspicuously notched at margins.
Its requirements and care are straightforward. It needs full sun; otherwise it flowers less and the cushion may loosen. The soil must be well drained, ideally gravelly or sandy, because persistent moisture is the most common cause of failure. Watering is necessary only at planting and for a few weeks afterwards to help it establish, and during prolonged droughts. Feeding is unnecessary; in fact, overly rich soil leads to lusher but less compact growth. Light trimming immediately after flowering helps maintain shape and encourages density. It can be grown in containers if the pot is shallow, wide and very well drained. Wind does not trouble it, but long periods of winter wet do. Candytufts are extremely hardy, tolerating down to −25 °C (USDA 5b) as long as the soil is not waterlogged.
Last update 29-06-2023
