Rocket candytuft is a small, ornamental flowering annual in the mustard (Brassicaceae) family native to western and southern Europe, from Britain to North Africa, and is typically found in dry hillsides, yards, and disturbed areas in the wild. The species epithet amara is from the Latin word amarus and refers to the bitter flavor of the mustard produced from the plant's seeds. Plant in moist, well-drained garden soil in full sun. It prefers soil high in calcium but tolerates mildly acidic or low-nutrient soils. It also tolerates partial shade, but will produce fewer flowers. Although small, you should not grow the plants too close together. Propagation is by seed. It is a fast-growing, ornamental plant with sweetly scented flowers that bloom mid- to late-summer. The inflorescence is a corymb, bearing 10 to 30 flowers, each about 0.4 inches across. There are four petals, white or pale violet, of unequal size. Although it has escaped cultivation in some parts of the United States, it is not considered invasive. Use rocket candytuft on slopes, along walkways and the border of a pollinator garden or fairy garden. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Alkaline (>8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
5 - Groundcover
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Mounding
Texture
Fine
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Oblanceolate; Obovate; Spatulate
Leaf margin
Dentate; Entire; Serrate
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Alternate leaves with the lowest soon withering, the middle and upper leaves stalkless, narrowly obovate, and sparse-toothed at tip (sometimes with short margins). The margin is sparsely hairy, 3-veined. petiolate or (distal) sessile; the blade spatulate or oblanceolate to oblong, margins pinnatifid or dentate, or (distalmost) entire or dentate
Flower color
Purple/Lavender; White
Flower value
Fragrant
Flower form
Corymb
Flower shape
Irregular
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
The small flowers are in clusters of 10 to 30 with white to pale violet petals. Two of the petals are twice as large as the other two. Flowers in July-August.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit type
Samara
Fruit detail
Ovate, notched fruit. Narrowly winged seeds.
Stem detail
Erect, branched distally.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Western and southern Europe, including Britain, to North Africa
Distribution
Introduced to Central and Eastern Europe, India, New England and Middle Atlantic United States.