It's just there, very small, and so very pretty. Thanks for helping to ID it. You can help to ID the pollinator too if you like!



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It looks like candytuft but I don't know which one:

Candytuft:
https://garden.org/plants/sear...

Sue!

@sooby, what do you think? Looks very much like this:

I don't think so unless you or a neighbour had bought seeds maybe? It's not native and not very hardy. Was it growing there last year or just appeared this year?

sooby said:I don't think so unless you or a neighbour had bought seeds maybe? It's not native and not very hardy. Was it growing there last year or just appeared this year?

I doubt it was a close neighbor as I'm the only one who plants flowers in my visible surroundings. It just showed up this year, and it's actually in my lawn right next to an area where I've planted seeds. What might have happened is that I scattered a small hand full of wildflower seeds in a very small area right next to where it is. It was an old, expired packet of seeds and the only thing that came up that year was impatiens. It's possible that one of these grew underneath the impatiens (there were so many that they totally blocked out any sun to the ground below) without my seeing it, and then dropped a seed or two???? Or maybe I tracked a seed in in the folds of a shoe or something--I do love walking through nurseries and gardens. At any rate, it's not listed on the seed packet.

And now, I've found another one in a different area as well, but it's not thriving as this one appears to be even though it's just a baby.

If you (or anyone) think it's a different variety, please let me know as I've uploaded a picture to the database. If necessary, I'll be quick to request it be moved.

Here are the impatiens:

Since Iberis umbellata and Iberis amara occur (introduced) in New England I would think it's more likely one of those. Iberis umbellata appears to be sold as a "wildflower". I think Iberis gibraltarica is more unlikely.

sooby said:Since Iberis umbellata and Iberis amara occur (introduced) in New England I would think it's more likely one of those. Iberis umbellata appears to be sold as a "wildflower". I think Iberis gibraltarica is more unlikely.

Oh, this one is frustrating because no matter what strain I look up, the colors attributed are varied. This one is so delicate, with a beautiful, pale violet color fading to violet-white. But take a look at the color description here:

Still open to input.

They can vary, such as this mixture of Iberis umbellata.



GoBotany has a key for Iberis. If it doesn't fit any of these then it may be worth looking at another species but these three would be the most likely in that area if it occurred without having been seeded on purpose. There's not enough of the plant visible in your picture to follow the key but you may be able to do it with the plant in person:

https://gobotany.newenglandwil...

sooby said:They can vary, such as this mixture of Iberis umbellata.

• Candytuft (Iberis umbellata 'Fairyland Dwarf Mix')
• Uploaded by Joy

GoBotany has a key for Iberis. If it doesn't fit any of these then it may be worth looking at another species but these three would be the most likely in that area if it occurred without having been seeded on purpose. There's not enough of the plant visible in your picture to follow the key but you may be able to do it with the plant in person:

https://gobotany.newenglandwil...

Thank you so much for this. It is a confusing one! According to their key (which is really educational to use, especially for a newbie like me), if I go by color only, it's sempervirens. But since we can't go by color alone and must go by structure, I do believe you are correct and it's umbellata. The description of the umbel is exactly what happens with this, where the bloom pattern is from outside to inside (distal to proximal). It says that the colors are pink to purple instead of what I think is white to violet, but I guess description of color can be subjective, especially where the coloring is so delicate. This is what it looks like today:


BUT, now that we've figured that one out, here's the other one that showed up in a different location. I'm guessing it's i.sempervirens because of the structure of the flower stems which makes it appear as if each flower is a separate thing as opposed to being part of an umbel:


Thoughts?

Thanks again for your help, and thanks again for the link!

Could that second one be sweet alyssum, Lobularia maritima?

sooby said:Could that second one be sweet alyssum, Lobularia maritima?

• Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritima)
• Uploaded by robertduval14

Oh! Look how good you are! I do believe you are right....aGAIN!

!