Iberis (/aɪˈbɪərɪs/ eye-BEER-iss),[2] commonly called candytuft, is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Brassicaceae. It comprises annuals, evergreen perennials and subshrubs native to the Old World.[3] Species are native to the Mediterranean basin (southern Europe and North Africa), Western Asia, the Caucasus, and western Europe.[1] The name “candytuft” is not related to candy, but derives from Candia, the former name of Iraklion on the Island of Crete.[4]
They are used as ornamental plants for rock gardens, bedding, and borders in full sun or light shade.
In the language of flowers, the candytuft symbolizes indifference.[5]
Species
32 species are accepted.[1]
- Iberis amara L. – rocket candytuft, bitter candytuft, wild candytuft
- Iberis atlantica (Litard. & Maire) Greuter & Burdet
- Iberis attica Jord.
- Iberis aurosica Chaix
- Iberis balansae Jord.
- Iberis bernardiana Gren. & Godr.
- Iberis carica (Bornm.) Prain
- Iberis carnosa Willd.
- Iberis ciliata All.
- Iberis contracta Pers.
- Iberis fontqueri Pau
- Iberis gibraltarica L. – Gibraltar candytuft
- Iberis grosii Pau
- Iberis gypsicola Yıld.
- Iberis halophila Vural & H.Duman
- Iberis intermedia Guers.
- Iberis linifolia L.
- Iberis nazarita Moreno
- Iberis odorata L.
- Iberis pectinata Boiss. & Reut.
- Iberis peyerimhoffii Maire
- Iberis pinnata L.
- Iberis procumbens Lange – dune candytuft
- Iberis runemarkii Greuter & Burdet
- Iberis saxatilis L. – rock candytuft
- Iberis semperflorens L.
- Iberis sempervirens L. – evergreen candytuft, perennial candytuft
- Iberis simplex DC.
- Iberis spathulata DC.
- Iberis spruneri Jord.
- Iberis timeroyi Jord.
- Iberis umbellata L. – globe candytuft
Trophic connections
These plants provide nourishment for a number of insect species of which the rare Euchloe tagis butterfly is the most striking example as it is monophagous on species in this genus.[6][7]
Biochemical defenses
Species in the genus Iberis contain not only glucosinolates, which are characteristic chemical defenses of the Brassicaceae plant family, but also cucurbitacins,[8] which are better known as chemical defenses in the Cucurbitaceae plant family. Cucurbitacins from Iberis amara have antifeedant activity against the Brassicaceae-feeding specialist Pieris rapae (cabbage butterfly).[9] Cucurbitacins from Iberis umbellata (globe candytuft) are ecdysteroid antagonists, acting on the ecdysteroid receptor of insects.[10]
References
- ^ a b c “Iberis Dill. ex L.” Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ^ Sunset Western Garden Book, 1995:606–607
- ^ RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN 978-1405332965.
- ^ Shorter Oxford English dictionary, 6th ed. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. 2007. p. 3804. ISBN 978-0199206872.
- ^ “Language of Flowers – Flower Meanings, Flower Sentiments”. www.languageofflowers.com. Retrieved 2016-11-26.
- ^ de Viedma, M. G.; Escribano, R.; Gómez-Bustillo, M. R.; Mattoni, R. H. T. (1985-01-01). “The first attempt to establish a nature reserve for the conservation of lepidoptera in Spain”. Biological Conservation. 32 (3): 255–276. Bibcode:1985BCons..32..255D. doi:10.1016/0006-3207(85)90113-2. ISSN 0006-3207.
- ^ Marabuto, Eduardo; Pina-Martins, Francisco; Rebelo, Maria Teresa; Paulo, Octávio S. (2020). “Ancient divergence, a crisis of salt and another of ice shaped the evolution of the west Mediterranean butterfly Euchloe tagis”. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 131 (3): 487–504. doi:10.1093/biolinnean/blaa129. hdl:10451/45515.
- ^ Nielsen, Jens Kvist; Larsen, Lone Melchior; Søorensen, Hilmer (1977-01-01). “Cucurbitacin E and I in Iberis amara: Feeding inhibitors for Phyllotreta nemorum”. Phytochemistry. 16 (10): 1519–1522. Bibcode:1977PChem..16.1519N. doi:10.1016/0031-9422(77)84014-4. ISSN 0031-9422.
- ^ Sachdev-Gupta, Kusum; Radke, Celia D.; Renwick, J. Alan A. (1993-08-12). “Antifeedant activity of cucurbitacins from Iberis amara against larvae of Pieris rapae”. Phytochemistry. The International Journal of Plant Biochemistry. 33 (6): 1385–1388. Bibcode:1993PChem..33.1385S. doi:10.1016/0031-9422(93)85096-A. ISSN 0031-9422.
- ^ Dinan, Laurence; Whiting, Pensri; Girault, Jean-Pierre; Lafont, René; Dhadialla, S. Tarlochan; Cress, E. Dean; Mugat, Bruno; Antoniewski, Christophe; Lepesant, Jean-Antoine (1997-11-01). “Cucurbitacins are insect steroid hormone antagonists acting at the ecdysteroid receptor”. Biochemical Journal. 327 (3): 643–650. doi:10.1042/bj3270643. ISSN 0264-6021. PMC 1218839. PMID 9581538.