Intense summer sunshine can render plants scorched and depleted by late night, making for a tired-looking garden when the mercury settles down and we can get out to appreciate the outdoors. For lavender cotton (Santolina chamaecyparissus), it’s the opposite. Bring on sunlight, because this plant can take the heat.
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Botanical name: Santolina chamaecyparissus
Common name: ‘Lavender cotton’
USDA zones: 6 to 9(find your zone)
Water necessity: routine water to establish root system; intermittent once recognized
Light requirement: Entire sun
Mature size: 2 feet tall, 3 feet wide
Benefits and tolerances: Tolerant of deer, drought, heat, wind and coastal states; firewise planting
Seasonal curiosity: Flowers in mid to late summer; evergreen
When to plant: Plant seedlings in early summer; split in spring or autumn
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Distinguishing attributes. Santolina is a sun lover, also its look conjures everything bright — by the bleached gray foliage to its sunny yellow button flowers. It is a densely clumping and mounding shrub with narrow split leaves, resembling lavender. While lavender cotton is not a lavender species, aromatic foliage is enhanced when bruised or irritated. (Notice: Bruised foliage may irritate skin) Many cultivars exist, varying in size and color.
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How to use it. Lavender cotton is a landscape workhorse, bringing color, texture and an easy space filler to the garden. Notice how it fills out the bank alongside orange ‘Hallmark’ bulbine (Bulbine frutescens‘Hallmark’) in this design by Eileen Kelly.
Popular in native Mediterranean gardens, lavender cotton’s dusty foliage and vibrant flowers match light-toned Spanish architecture. Trailing edges cascade easily over terra-cotta avenues and courtyard edges.
Additionally, lavender cotton has seen heavy use in formal Tudor knot gardens. Based on your garden design, lavender cotton may adapt to nearly anything — simply prune or allow it to grow wild.
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Planted en masse alongside ornamental alliums (Allium spp) and lavender shrubs (Lavandula spp), lavender cotton’s bright yellow flowers just peek over the foliage.
Planting notes. Silk lavender is a typical Mediterranean native — it is tolerant of full sun, complete heat and needs sandy, well-drained soil.
Cotton lavender does better if frequently pruned. To keep a healthy dense look, cut back the tree before spring growth emerges each year. Otherwise, it’s a propensity to become woody and lean. It is possible to trim the borders or cut on the plant nearly to the floor. After shoots have flowered, deadhead to encourage more blooms. If the whole plant becomes too sterile, you can eliminate and start again.
In colder regions, the plant can freeze to the floor, however if the roots remain undamaged, it should survive.