Cotton Lavender Plants

Santolina chamaecyparissus, Cotton Lavender Plants, 2 Litre Pots

Santolina chamaecyparissus is a dwarf evergreen shrub with a neat, rounded, bushy habit. In mid to late summer, its silvery-white foliage is joined by masses of bright yellow, button-like flowers. 

Equally at home in a mixed border, planted en masse, or grown in a container. Its unique texture is a perfect filler amongst other perennials, and its colouring provides useful light accents. This shrub is also an effective choice for lining a path, its foliage aromatic when brushed against. 

Santolina chamaecyparissus is a popular and easy shrub with a pleasing, mound-forming habit. Its shoots have a distinctive white, woolly look when young, later bursting into masses of narrow, silvery-grey, finely dissected leaves. In summer, an abundance of slender stems hold flowers aloft in a haze of yellow polka dots. The enduring popularity of this outstanding shrub is well-deserved, and no sunny garden ought to be without one.

Delivered pot-grown, year round.

Browse our selection of garden shrubs.

Features

• Silvery-white evergreen foliage
• Full sun.
• Likes very well drained, poor soils
• Yellow flowers July-August
• Drought tolerant
• To 50-60cm by 100cm after 5 years

Growing Santolina chamaecyparissus

It hails from dry, rocky habitats in the Mediterranean, and is therefore happiest in poor to moderately fertile, well-draining soil in full sun.
It is hardy throughout the UK, providing drainage is adequate.
As with all Mediterranean shrubs, it is excessive moisture (rather than the temperature) that can cause problems during winter.

In Your Garden Design

Santolina chamaecyparissus mixes well with a huge variety of plants, though our favourite combination has to be with fellow Mediterranean shrubs and perennials. Densely planted on a sunbaked, stony slope together with rosemary, lavender, oregano, helichrysum and sage, there can be few better looking (or more aromatic) combinations. Add some cistus and Rosa gallica in for extra height and floral impact, and the Mediterranean paradise is complete.

Did You Know?

Santolina belongs to Asteraceae, the daisy family: one of the largest plant families, including sunflowers, asters, thistles, dahlias, zinnias, and daisies.
Santolina chamaecyparissus is found across western and Central Europe. Commonly as ‘cotton lavender’, it is not related to either of those plants.