Lobularia maritima, commonly known as sweet alyssum, is a low-growing, spreading annual or short-lived perennial that typically reaches about 4 to 8 inches in height, occasionally up to 10 inches under ideal conditions, with a spread ranging from 6 to 18 inches, forming a dense, mounding or carpet-like habit. The slender stems are often branching and slightly woody at the base with age, creating a soft, cushiony appearance. Its narrow, lance-shaped leaves generally measure about 0.5 to 1.5 inches long and around 0.1 to 0.3 inches wide, covered with fine hairs that give them a gray-green tone. The plant is especially valued for its profusion of tiny, fragrant flowers, each about 0.1 to 0.2 inches across, typically borne in tight clusters that can elongate into racemes about 1 to 3 inches long as they mature. Blooming continuously in favorable conditions, the flowers are most commonly white but may also appear in shades of pink, lavender, or purple in cultivated varieties. Following flowering, small seed pods develop, usually less than 0.2 inches long, containing minute seeds. Lobularia maritima exhibits a fast growth rate and a spreading, ground-hugging form, with compact dimensions that make it ideal for borders, containers, and groundcover plantings.