Edible flowers
Alyssum
Flowers to leave mainly for visiting pollinators.
Sowing & planting windows in Australia
Planting timing varies by broad Australian gardening zone. Local weather, unusual seasons and your garden’s microclimate can shift timing.
Cool
Sow · Jan-Apr,Sep-Dec
Core months: January, February, March, April, September, October, November, December
Temperate
Sow · Jan-May,Aug-Dec
Core months: January, February, March, April, May, August, September, October, November, December
Subtropical
Sow · Jan-Apr,Aug-Dec
Core months: January, February, March, April, August, September, October, November, December
Tropical
Sow · Mar-Jul
Core months: March, April, May, June, July
Arid
Sow · Apr-Jul
Core months: April, May, June, July
Getting started
Sow seed in the recorded five-zone window. Use clean seed and follow the packet's depth and spacing for the named species or cultivar.
The right conditions
Choose a position with good light, fertile free-draining soil and protection from harsh heat; provide winter chill where the crop requires it.
As it grows
Water consistently while establishing, mulch without burying the crown or stem, manage weeds early and provide support where the mature habit needs it.
Ready to harvest
Pick a few fresh, unsprayed flowers as they open; leave most blooms for pollinators.
Important cautions
Use only correctly identified sweet alyssum flowers grown without non-food pesticides; this guide is not for unrelated Alyssum species.
Plant guidance: P11a propagation, food-safety and plant-specific guide audit. Planting windows are a guide rather than a rule.