When to Plant Sweet Alyssum in Louisiana
Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritima) is a low-growing cool-season annual prized for its honey-scented clusters of tiny white, pink, or purple flowers. A workhorse border plant, it tolerates light frost, self-seeds readily, and attracts beneficial insects throughout its bloom season. In warm climates it often re-blooms in fall after summer heat fades.
Louisiana spans USDA hardiness zones 8b, 9a, 9b (with planting data available), so planting dates vary by your location within the state. Click your zone below for the most accurate dates.
Find Your County
Click your county for exact Sweet Alyssum planting dates based on your local frost dates.
Hover over a county to see details. Click to view planting guide.
Sweet Alyssum Planting Calendar for Louisiana
▸ Zone 8b ~276 day growing season · Full guide →
Last frost: February 25 · First frost: November 28 · 276 day season
| Activity | When | Date Range |
|---|---|---|
| Start Indoors | January 14 | Jan 14 – Jan 28 |
| Transplant Outdoors | February 4 | Feb 4 – Feb 18 |
| Direct Sow | January 14 | Jan 14 – Feb 4 |
| Bloom | March 18 | Mar 18 – Jul 22 |
| Fall Sowing | October 3 | Oct 3 – Oct 17 |
▸ Zone 9a ~303 day growing season · Full guide →
Last frost: February 10 · First frost: December 10 · 303 day season
| Activity | When | Date Range |
|---|---|---|
| Transplant Outdoors | January 13 | Jan 13 – Jan 27 |
| Direct Sow | December 16 | Dec 16 – Jan 6 |
| Bloom | February 17 | Feb 17 – Jun 2 |
| Fall Sowing | October 1 | Oct 1 – Oct 15 |
▸ Zone 9b ~329 day growing season · Full guide →
Last frost: January 25 · First frost: December 20 · 329 day season
| Activity | When | Date Range |
|---|---|---|
| Transplant Outdoors | December 21 | Dec 21 – Jan 4 |
| Direct Sow | November 23 | Nov 23 – Dec 14 |
| Bloom | January 25 | Jan 25 – Apr 26 |
| Fall Sowing | October 11 | Oct 11 – Oct 25 |
Growing Tips for Louisiana
Surface-sow seeds — they need light to germinate. Direct-sow as soon as soil can be worked in spring; in zones 7+ also sow in fall. Thin to 6 inches apart. Shear back hard in midsummer when heat causes dormancy — plants recover and re-bloom when cool weather returns. Self-seeds prolifically; allow a few plants to set seed for a perpetual colony.
Sweet Alyssum in Other States
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I plant Sweet Alyssum in Louisiana?
Planting dates for Sweet Alyssum in Louisiana depend on your USDA zone. Louisiana spans zones 8b, 9a, 9b. Check the planting calendar above for your specific zone's frost dates and planting windows.
What zone is Louisiana for planting?
Louisiana contains USDA hardiness zones 8b, 9a, 9b. Your specific zone depends on your location within the state — northern and higher-elevation areas are in colder zones, while southern and coastal areas are warmer.