‘Snow Princess’ Lobularia is an annual plant, celebrated for its abundant white flowers that create a soft, cloud-like display. Its sweet fragrance adds an inviting dimension to garden spaces. This plant also features a graceful cascading habit, making it a versatile choice for various garden designs.
All About Snow Princess Lobularia
‘Snow Princess’ Lobularia (Lobularia hybrid) is a cultivar of Sweet Alyssum. This plant exhibits vigorous growth, forming dense foliage that can reach heights of 6 to 16 inches. Its spreading and mounding habit allows it to cascade gracefully, making it a versatile addition to many garden settings.
The plant offers an extended bloom period, flowering continuously from spring until the first hard frost. Its sterile nature allows for continuous flower production. Its tiny, four-petaled white flowers emit a delightful honey-like or vanilla-scented fragrance. ‘Snow Princess’ Lobularia is notably heat and drought tolerant, performing well even in challenging summer conditions.
This variety is commonly used as groundcover, a “spiller” in container arrangements, or as an edging plant along garden beds. Its mounding and trailing form also makes it an excellent choice for hanging baskets. The fragrant blooms attract beneficial pollinators, including bees and butterflies. Its self-cleaning nature means spent flowers do not require manual removal.
Planting Guidelines
Plant ‘Snow Princess’ Lobularia after the last frost in spring. This ensures young plants are not exposed to damaging cold temperatures.
‘Snow Princess’ Lobularia thrives in full sun, requiring at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight daily. In regions with intense summer heat, some afternoon shade can be beneficial. The plant prefers well-draining soil with average fertility; it adapts to a range of soil types including loam, sand, or chalk.
Upon planting, water consistently to ensure the soil remains evenly moist. This supports root development. For landscape planting, space individual plants approximately 18 to 24 inches apart to allow for their spreading habit. When planting in containers, a spacing of 10 to 12 inches is often sufficient.
Ongoing Care
‘Snow Princess’ Lobularia requires substantial water, especially when grown in containers or during warm weather. It prefers consistently moist soil and can quickly show signs of wilting if conditions become too dry. In hanging baskets, daily watering, sometimes more than once on hot days, may be necessary.
Regular fertilization supports continuous blooming and vigorous growth. For plants in containers, apply a slow-release fertilizer at planting, followed by a balanced water-soluble fertilizer every two to six weeks. In garden beds, an annual application of a balanced fertilizer or compost provides sufficient nutrients.
Its self-cleaning nature eliminates the need for deadheading. Spent flowers naturally disappear, allowing the plant to consistently produce new blooms without manual intervention. The plant is resilient to common pests and diseases. Young plants may occasionally experience issues with slugs.
Troubleshooting and Tips for Success
‘Snow Princess’ Lobularia is a robust plant, but it may temporarily wilt during periods of extreme heat. This wilting is a response to environmental stress, and the plant typically recovers quickly once adequately rehydrated. Ensuring consistent moisture, especially in containers, helps prevent this.
To encourage continuous blooming, occasional trimming can be beneficial. If the plant appears leggy or less full, a light trim of about one-third of its growth can promote a bushier form and stimulate new flower production. ‘Snow Princess’ Lobularia can sometimes outcompete less robust companion plants in mixed container arrangements. Selecting equally vigorous partners or dedicating ‘Snow Princess’ to its own container ensures a better display.