Santolina chamaecyparissus subsp. tomentosa (Cotton lavender) — abundant, bright yellow, button-like pom-pom heads over a striking, feathery silvery-white cushion mound, mid-to-late summer. Evergreen, full sun — needs maximum direct sunlight to keep its silvery foliage bright and tight.
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🌿 Grown at our London nursery — collect in person or arrange local delivery
📦 Dispatched within 3 business days via Royal Mail
Product features
Botanical name: Santolina chamaecyparissus subsp. tomentosa
Common name: Cotton lavender 'Tomentosa', lavender cotton
Height: 25cm to 60cm
Spread: 45cm to 80cm
Foliage: Finely dissected, feathery, woolly leaves maturing to bright silvery-white
Flower: Bright yellow, button-like pom-pom heads, mid-to-late summer
Attractive to wildlife: Bees, butterflies, hoverflies; repels flies and moths; deer/rabbit resistant
Soil Type: Poor, light, sharply drained sandy or chalky soils
Drought tolerant: Yes, exceptionally so once established
Hardy: Fully hardy (RHS H5, -10 to -15°C)
Position: Full sun
Evergreen: Yes
Suitable for: Knot gardens, gravel gardens, coastal exposures, low hedging
Materials and care
Light: Full sun — needed to keep silvery foliage bright and tight
Aspect: South- or west-facing, hot, sunny, exposed
Soil type: Poor, sandy, gravelly, or chalky
Drainage: Sharply well-drained vital
Watering: Extremely low needs
Deadheading: Cut off faded yellow flowers in late summer
Propagation: Semi-ripe cuttings with a heel in midsummer, or layering
