Evergreen Candytuft

Evergreen candytuft is the low, mounding perennial that covers itself in dense clusters of pure white flowers in April and May, a snowdrift of bloom just six to twelve inches above the ground. The effect is clean, bright, and unmistakable, particularly when it spills over a wall edge, cascades along a rock garden border, or fills the front of a sunny bed. The dark green, narrow evergreen foliage provides year-round structure between bloom seasons. Native to southern Europe, it forms a spreading, woody-based mound that grows wider than tall over time.

In Western Washington, candytuft thrives in full sun with well-drained soil. It tolerates some drought once established and performs best in the lean, gravelly conditions of rock gardens and raised beds rather than rich, moist border soil. Shear it lightly after flowering to maintain a compact form and prevent the center from opening up and going bare. No significant disease or pest concerns are tracked. The plant is genuinely long-lived, established clumps persist for decades with minimal input. For a reliable, low-maintenance, white-flowering edging plant that provides evergreen foliage year-round, candytuft is one of the cleanest choices in the regional palette.