Evergreen candytuft
Iberis sempervirens
Evergreen candytuft (Iberis sempervirens) is a groundcover suited to the Colorado Front Range. It matures to about 8 to 12 in tall and 12 to 18 in wide, needs low to medium water, and prefers full sun to partial shade. Sheets of pure white spring blooms over evergreen foliage. Classic rock-garden plant.
On the CSU listlow to medium water8 to 12 in tall and 12 to 18 in wideXeric / water-wiseLow ignitability: OK 0-30 ft from the house, CSU score 8/10Deer-resistant
Photos
- Photo 1: (c) Todd Boland, some rights reserved (CC BY)
- Photo 2: no rights reserved
- Photo 3: (c) Dean Morley, some rights reserved (CC BY-ND)
At a glance
Will it survive here?
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 3 to 9
- Water needs
- low to medium water
- Sun
- Best in full sun; tolerates partial shade.
- Soil
- loam, sandy
- Soil pH
- 6.5 to 8.0
- Hail tolerance
- moderate
- Wind tolerance
- moderate
- Salt tolerance
- moderate
How big, what shape?
- Mature size
- 8 to 12 in tall and 12 to 18 in wide
- Growth habit
- Mounding
- Planting spacing
- ~13 to 18 in apart
What it looks like, and when
- Bloom time
- mid spring, late spring
- Bloom color
- white
- Bloom length
- Long (several weeks)
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Winter cover
- Strong winter cover
What it will do to your yard
- Foot traffic
- No foot traffic
Who else benefits
- Pollinator value
- high
- Deer
- Generally deer-resistant
- Colorado native
- No
Also worth knowing
- Fire rating
- Low ignitability: OK 0-30 ft from the house, CSU score 8/10
Using Evergreen candytuft as a groundcover
Evergreen candytuft grows in low mounds. It fills in densely, crowding out most weeds. It holds strong cover through Front Range winters, so the ground doesn't go bare.
Planting & establishment
Water deeply 1×/week first summer to establish. After establishment, water 1 to 2×/month during dry stretches.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Evergreen candytuft good for the Colorado Front Range?
- Yes, Evergreen candytuft is a well-suited groundcover for Colorado's Front Range.
- How big does Evergreen candytuft get?
- It matures to about 8 to 12 in tall and 12 to 18 in wide.
- How far apart do I plant Evergreen candytuft?
- Space Evergreen candytuft about 13 in apart for a faster, fuller cover, or up to 18 in apart for a looser planting.
- Is Evergreen candytuft hardy on the Front Range?
- Evergreen candytuft is hardy in USDA 3 to 9. The Colorado Front Range spans roughly USDA 4b to 6a, so it is well within range.
- How much water does Evergreen candytuft need?
- It needs low to medium water once established.
- Is Evergreen candytuft native to Colorado?
- No. It is not a Colorado native, but it grows well on the Front Range.
- Is Evergreen candytuft deer-resistant?
- Evergreen candytuft is generally considered deer-resistant, though no plant is deer-proof when browse pressure is high.
- Is Evergreen candytuft a good firewise plant near the house?
- Evergreen candytuft is rated 8 of 10 in CSU Extension Fact Sheet 6.305 (2025), where higher means less ignitable, so it can go within 0 to 5 feet of the house as well as out to 30 feet when kept watered and tidy. This is general guidance based on CSU Extension Fact Sheet 6.305 (2025), not a guarantee that any plant won't burn, a well-irrigated, well-maintained plant is the goal. Follow CSU Extension defensible-space guidance and check with your local fire district before planting in the wildland-urban interface.
- Can you walk on Evergreen candytuft?
- Evergreen candytuft isn't meant for foot traffic, site it where you won't need to walk across it.
- Will Evergreen candytuft spread or stay put?
- Evergreen candytuft is mounding. Give it room to fill in and edit the edges to keep it where you want it.
- Does Evergreen candytuft stay green in winter?
- Evergreen candytuft holds strong cover through Front Range winters, so the ground stays protected rather than going bare.
- How long does Evergreen candytuft bloom?
- Evergreen candytuft blooms for several weeks, a long-season performer on the Front Range. Bloom timing shifts a week or two with elevation and spring weather.
