Leaf
Liliane Roubaudi, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0
Cotton lavender
Santolina chamaecyparissus L.
Also known as: Lavender cotton, Santolina
Family: Asteraceae
0.3 to 0.5 m tall
Borders, rock gardens, dry gardens, poor free-draining soils
Flowering: June – August
Full sun
Hardy to -15°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Its silvery, aromatic foliage makes it a classic border plant in Mediterranean-style gardens.
🍃 Leaves
Evergreen, very finely divided, silvery grey, aromatic
🌸 Flowers
Small bright yellow pompoms, borne on long stems
🍎 Fruits
Small dry achenes, barely visible
🪵 Bark
Low woody stems, compact mounded habit
🗺️ Distribution
Western Mediterranean; grown in France as an ornamental, occurring naturally in a few garrigues of the south.
🐝 Value for pollinators
Small yellow flower heads in summer, moderately nectar-rich, visited by a few bees and butterflies.
✂️ Horticultural uses
Planted as a low clipped edging or in a dry rock garden for its aromatic silvery foliage.
⚠️ Possible toxicity
No known toxicity by contact; bitter aromatic plant, not eaten.
🌿 Other Asteraceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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