The sweet alison flowers blossom mostly in November and December although flowering plants can still be spotted as late as March.
The plant is native to southern Europe although it has now moved naturally further north and can be found in Ireland and England. It has also been introduced in other areas, including North America.
In colder climates it is described as a summer-flowering annual that survives the winter cold as seed. In Malta it is a perennial living from one year to the next, mostly in sandy areas close to the coast.
In Maltese the sweet alison is known as buttuniera. Its scientific name is Lobularia maritima and was coined from a Greek word meaning small pod, referring to the shape of the fruits and maritima, which is a reference to its preference for coastal areas.
They grow in dense clusters and, if seen from a distance, can give the impression of actually being a single flower
The sweet alison belongs to the cabbage or crucifer family. Like other members of this family, the flowers consist of four petals arranged in the shape of a cross. They are small but they grow in dense clusters and, if seen from a distance, can give the impression of actually being a single flower.
The flowers are strongly scented. If you meet a single plant you have to bend down and sniff the flowers to smell them properly but, if you are lucky enough to find several flowering plants growing together, you will be able to smell their sweet scent even from a couple of metres away.
The strong scent is there for a reason. It attracts insects, especially honey bees, to collect nectar and, at the same time, to transport pollen from one flower to another. This is important for the plant, especially in winter, when there are fewer insects available to pollinate them. Due to this fact, it is sometimes planted by organic farmers close to their crops because it tends to attract beneficial insects.
Several cultivated varieties of the sweet alison are available but in Malta, and other areas where it is indigenous, the wild plant should be planted more often, especially in gardens and public areas that could provide havens for bees and other insects.
portelli.paul@gmail.com