Santolina chamaecyparissus (Lavender Cotton)

Mature Height: 12-18”
Mature Spread: 12-18”
Hardy To: 8,000’

Water: Low
Exposure: Sun to Shade
Flower Color: Yellow
Flower Season: Mid-Summer
Resistant To: Deer
Description: Lavender Cotton is a drought-resistant woody shrub
that forms dense, thickly branched mounds of small, white, woolly and grain dishes. Generally, the leaves are harvested in the summer leaves with bright yellow button-like flowers. Its foliage is incredi- and dried for later use.
bly fragrant and persists through fall and winter. A native to the dry
banks and rocky slopes of the Mediterranean and southern Europe. Lavender Cotton is a long lived evergreen shrub that will require little to no irrigation once established.
Care: Prune hard after flowering to keep bushy and full. Lavender Cotton tends to fall open with age, and it may look untidy if not sheared annually after flowering. This plant seldom needs dividing. Fun Fact: Historically, Lavender Cotton has had a number of prac- tical and medicinal uses. It has been used as an insect and moth repellant – the stems can be hung in a wardrobe. Its flowers and leaves have been made into a decoction used to expel intestinal parasites. Its oil has been used in perfumes, and its aromatic leaves have been used in potpourri as well as flavoring in broths, sauces, and grain dishes. Generally, the leaves are harvested in summer and dried for later use.