Notice

Colin Mills, compiler of the Hortus Camdenensis, died in late November 2012 after a short illness. As he always considered the Hortus his legacy, it is his family's intention to keep the site running in perpetuity. It will not, however, be updated in the near future.

Iberis sempervirens L. var. superba

Perennial sub-shrub with narrow blunt leaves and white flowers in elongated corymbs.  To 30cm.  [RHSD, Hortus].  The variety superba is shorter growing and useful for edging.  [Hortus].

Horticultural & Botanical History

Iberis sempervirens was introduced to Britain in 1731 [PD].  ‘The commonest perennial Candytuft, half-shrubby, dwarf, spreading, evergreen, and perfectly hardy, it escapes where many plants are destroyed by cold; and in April and May its neat tufts of dark green change into masses of snowy white.  Where a very dwarf evergreen edging is required for a shrubbery, or for beds of shrubs, it is one of the best plants known, as on any soil it quickly forms spreading masses almost as low as the lawn-grass.  It should be exposed to the sun rather than shaded.  Readily increased by seeds or cuttings.  Its common garden name is I. saxitalisI. Garrexiana is not sufficiently distinct to be worthy of cultivation; in fact, it and several other Iberises prove, when grown side by side to be very slight varieties of I. sempervirens; it, however, seeds more abundantly, and is less spreading.  I. superba, another variety, is of good bushy habit, and bears many large dense heads of pure white flowers.’  [Robinson - The English Flower Garden and Home Grounds, 10th edition, p.616/1907].

History at Camden Park

Seed order to Hurst and McMullen, Seedsmen and Florists of London, on 8th April 1846.  [MP A2933-1, p.132]. 

Notes

Published Oct 02, 2009 - 11:12 AM | Last updated Jul 15, 2010 - 04:48 PM

Family Brassicaceae
Category
Region of origin

Southern Europe

Synonyms
  • Iberis superba Hort.
Common Name

Edging candytuft

Name in the Camden Park Record

Iberis superba 

Confidence level high