Iberis 'Snowsation'

Iberis 'Snowsation': Big White Blooms on a Tiny Evergreen Cushion

Low, rounded mounds buried under big white flowers, like somebody spilled a whole bag of icing sugar at the bake sale. 'Snowsation' is spring's biggest WHITEOUT, minus the cancelled school day.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Iberis sempervirens 'Snowsation'
• Common Name: Evergreen Candytuft
• Height: 15–20 cm (6–8 in)
• Spread: 25–30 cm (10–12 in)
• Flowers: Large, pure white flowers in dense clusters that cover the plant
• Bloom Time: Mid to late spring (May to June)
• Foliage: Narrow, deep green and evergreen, in a low, rounded mound
• Features: Evergreen

Where to Plant: It fits the very front of a sunny border, the gaps in a rock garden, the edge of a patio or the top of a low wall. It also makes a neat spring filler in containers, then stays green as a backdrop for summer.

Companion Plants: Use 'Snowsation' at the front of a sunny, dry bed with raspberry pinks, butter-yellow coneflowers and wine-purple pea flowers. Dianthus Fruit Punch® 'Raspberry Ruffles' adds double raspberry pinks at 20 to 25 cm from June to September. Echinacea Kismet® 'Yellow' brings butter-yellow coneflowers at 45 cm from June to October. Baptisia 'Burgundy Blast' adds wine-purple spikes at 90 to 105 cm in June and July. Bouteloua curtipendula stands behind at 60 to 75 cm in flower, a native side-oats grama.

Plant Care: Give it full sun and well-drained soil. It does fine in sandy or average soil, but heavy clay that stays wet in winter is its main weakness. On clay, raise the planting area or mix in grit and compost. Water through the first season, then only when it's very dry. Shear it lightly after flowering to keep the mound dense and tidy. It's evergreen, so skip the fall cleanup and just trim any winter-browned tips in spring. Candytuft is a small woody subshrub. It doesn't need dividing and prefers to stay where you plant it.

History: Martijn Baijens bred 'Snowsation' in Venhuizen, the Netherlands, in 2013 from an unnamed Iberis sempervirens selection crossed with 'Tahoe', and selected it in 2014. It was introduced by Ball Horticultural Company through its Darwin Perennials line.

Final Thoughts: Evergreen, deer resistant and drought tolerant once established. Plant a row along the front walk. THE BUTTERFLIES CALLED A SNOW DAY.