Santolina Species, Gray Santolina, Ground Cypress, Lavender Cotton

I've had my Santolina for something over 30 years.

It's my favorite plant in the yard, it never moves from where it's pla...Read Morented, (unlike Rue that pops EVERYWHERE!!) it'd probably die if I took care of it, and boy does it smell wonderful!!!!!!

I always recommend it to anyone that has that stubborn dry hot corner. I love it!

I live in Jackson, Michigan (USA). My area is USDA zone 5 (it depends on who you ask wether it is 5A or 5B). I believe that I have an unu...Read Moresual micro-climate in my location. The houses are less than 20 feet in any direction; the snow cover is easily 2+ feet thick through January and February at all times. Conversely, when the weather begins to break my back yard does not receive hard frost. Santolina is doing VERY well. No die-back, I never water, and the soil ranges from rocky (some previous owners driveway base) to sandy loam. I am eager to try these in a formal arrangement on my north facing lawn. It is much shadier there, but live and learn.

Very drought tolerant and loves the very hot summer heat of inland California. I have mine planted in heavy clay and it does great!

Here in western CO (zone 5 or colder), it isn't evergreen. Usually dies back completely. I trim it each spring, mulch in winter. And I...Read More agree with all those who said this plant likes very well drained soil. A very attractive xeric plant.

I've been using grey santolina for years. First in Portland, OR and now in Tucson,AZ,climates that couldn't be more different. In Portlan...Read Mored I had to
clip it to the ground every spring and grow it on a south facing bank
with minimal water. Here in Tucson it's on the north side of the house
and gets minimal sun but lots of reflected light and is surround by
hardscape. Best of all the bunnies hate it!

When purchased, this plant had a tag in it saying it was a licorice plant. It took it two full years in the ground before it began bloom...Read Moreing. I had come to the conclusion that it was a silver wormwood when all of a sudden we have yellow flowers. It keeps the pests away like a wormwood. I cut it all back to about six or eight inches in winter. It is a beautiful shade of gray and looks lovely between two of my purple coneflowers. It seems to like water but doesn't complain when it doesn't get any for a week or so. I would very definitely plant more of these. Just need a bigger yard.

Pretty silvery light color evergreen adds nice contrast to the dark green leaves of rosemary. Great plant to keep a garden looking alive ...Read Morein a Texas winter!

Blooms August-September. Likes full sun. Soil should be average, well drained. Does not do well with wet feet. Leaves can be used in fla...Read Morevoring sauces, dried in Pot-pourri, oil is used in perfumes. It is a medicinal herb. Is also used to moth proof linens and wools. Seeds sown Spring & Fall in cold frame.

A very tough, drought tolerant perennial plant. Loves full sun. They can tolerate poor soil and salt as well as drought. Propagate by l...Read Moreayering or cuttings on summer. pokerboy.

Seems grey santolina (S. chamacyparissus) is the most drought-tolerant of all the santolinas. I used it in central NM and found it thrive...Read Mores and prefers lots of sun and very little watering. As a matter of fact, I lost a couple of them by overwatering. It does appreciate mixed soil with good drainage.

This is a beautiful plant which provides a nice backdrop in the informal garden with its mounding habit and pretty yellow buttons on spikes! Great smell, too! Used against river rock and other hardscape, is striking!

Am looking for an appropriate santolina for central FL (zone 9); perhaps s. incana; where it can tolerate higher humidity, yet still looks good in a xeri garden.

A friend found this for me last year. It stayed green all winter in the greenhouse. Supposedly, this deters aphids and white flies, is be...Read Morest looking if trimmed to one foot, and is used for potpourri.

Santolina is also useful in "mosaiculture" and contrasts well with the coppery foliage of Alternanthera.
I have also used it succe...Read Moressfully in mass plantings.
The smell of its foliage on a hot summer's day when it is being watered is heavenly.

Great when used as ground cover here in south texas, fairly tough plant, aromatic with a dash of yellow coloring. I've had great success...Read More with this plant.

Not many plants are happy living in a concrete pot on a concrete driveway next to a brick wall between two steel garage doors during 90-1...Read More00+ degrees fahrenheit summers and frequent dry spells. It tolerates neglect in the winter, plus the silvery color contrasts nicely with an equally forgiving purslane plant that re-seeds in the spring. Scrawny plant was purchased at a local garden center in July 2001.

I've had terrific success with this plant in several gardens on our property. It thrives by the fish pond receiving full sun and plenty o...Read Moref moisture. It is smothered with small, very attractive, bright yellow "ball" flowers. It receives periodic trimmings: early spring, after flowering, late summer. This seems to keep it in a nice, rounded shape preventing it from "splitting" down the middle. The foliage is light & feathery, with silvery tones. This has been a great landscaping choice!

This plant takes a licking and keeps ticking in North Texas, but NOT in full sun. In Texas, we grow this wonderful plant in part to full...Read More shade, AND it likes lots of water! It is beautiful from the end of March through Easter and the honey bees just love it! So, I would advise to grow it near something that needs pollinating!

Cindy near Dallas

A nice plant, but it is VERY xeric (drought-tolerant) and too much water or rich soil will make the plant start to flop right down the mi...Read Moreddle as it grows. Since it tends to grow in a perfect circle this is very unattractive when it happens. Because it forms such a symmetrical shape I found it hard to work into the very casual, mixed-bed look I prefer. I've pruned the edges and the center is trying to fill in, but I'm still not very happy with how it looks.

This plant produces hundreds of small yellow ball-like flowers in the spring, above the foliage. It can get lanky but prunes and shapes e...Read Moreasily. Fragrant. Clip flowers after blooming to neaten shrub.

This evergreen shrub has fragrant, narrow, and crinkled silvery-grey leaves on mound-shaped plants about two feet high. Soft gray leaves ...Read Moregive it its name, cotton lavender, also known as gray santolina. Keep the leaves clipped for formal knot gardens or edging, or let the yellow flowers emerge for extra color in an informal garden.

Like all gray herbs, santolina needs full sun and soil with excellent drainage. In spring, when the new growth emerges, cut off the barren stems and cut back healthy stems a little to encourage bushy new growth. In cold climates, give some extra protection with a mulch.