Green lavender cotton

Sun

Full sun; shade produces loose growth and fewer flowers.

Water

Low once established. Water young plants during dry spells, then water established plants only during prolonged drought.

Soil

Sharply drained, lean sandy, gravelly or chalky soil. Tolerates neutral to alkaline conditions; avoid heavy, waterlogged ground.

Height

1.5-2 ft (0.45-0.6 m)

Spread

2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m)

Flowers

Early to midsummer; small, rounded yellow flower heads on slender stems above the foliage.

Foliage

Evergreen. Fine-textured, narrow, finely divided green leaves with a strong herbal scent when brushed or crushed.

Growth

Moderate

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Deer resistant
• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Low allergen
• Fragrant

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1.6 ft (0.5 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.7 ft (0.51 m)

3. After 2 years

   1.7 ft (0.51 m)

4. After 3 years

   1.7 ft (0.52 m)

5. After 5 years

   1.7 ft (0.53 m)

   full size

About 5 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Moderate

• Plant in spring in colder areas so roots establish before winter.
• Water at soil level during the first growing season, allowing the soil to dry between waterings.
• Avoid routine feeding; rich soil encourages soft, sprawling growth.
• Use a thin gravel mulch rather than moisture-retaining organic mulch around the crown.
• In containers, use a gritty potting mix and keep drainage holes clear.

Pruning. In spring, after the worst frosts, lightly shorten leafy shoots to keep the plant compact. Trim off spent flower stems after flowering, but do not cut into bare old wood, which may not regrow.

Spring

Plant in freely drained soil once severe frost has passed.

Mid-spring

Remove frost-damaged tips and lightly shape established plants, keeping cuts within leafy growth.

Summer

Water new plants during dry spells; leave established plants mostly dry between occasional deep waterings.

Late summer

Trim spent flowers and take semi-ripe cuttings from healthy, non-flowering shoots.

Autumn

Clear fallen leaves from the crown and check that water drains away freely.

Winter

Avoid pruning and keep container plants sheltered from persistent rain without blocking drainage.

• Clip into low edging along sunny paths or around a formal herb garden.
• Repeat rounded mounds through gravel planting with lavender and upright ornamental grasses.
• Pair with silver-leaved plants to contrast its fresh green foliage.
• Use in sunny courtyard containers where its fine texture softens paving and stone.

Garden styles it suits: Mediterranean, Dry gravel garden, Desert / xeriscape, Herb parterre, Formal and Sensory garden.

Plant it with: English lavender, Rosemary, Creeping thyme, Rock rose, Lamb's ears and Blue fescue.

Wildlife: The open yellow flower heads attract bees and other flower-visiting insects. Clipping before flowering removes this food source.

• Root and crown rot in wet soil: improve drainage or replant on a raised mound; replace badly affected plants.
• Woody, open centres with age: trim lightly every year and replace declining plants with rooted cuttings rather than cutting hard into bare stems.
• Frost damage: choose a sheltered, sunny position and remove damaged tips in spring after severe frost has passed.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses, but species-specific safety information is limited. Treat it as an ornamental rather than food, discourage pets from eating it, and do not ingest its concentrated oils.

• Lavender cotton (Santolina chamaecyparissus)

  Has distinctly silvery-grey, woolly foliage rather than the green foliage of green lavender cotton; both have yellow button flowers.

• Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus)

  Has leathery, needle-like leaves with pale undersides and two-lipped flowers, usually blue, rather than finely divided foliage and yellow button heads.

The species name rosmarinifolia means rosemary-leaved, referring to the resemblance of its narrow leaves to rosemary.

Propagation. Take semi-ripe cuttings in late summer and root them in a gritty, freely draining medium. Seed is also possible, but cuttings preserve the parent plant's form.

Accepted botanical name

Santolina rosmarinifolia

Native range

Portugal and Spain.

Measured

Soil pH 8 to 9. Average height 40 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.