Practical
Plants

Santolina chamaecyparissus

Cotton Lavender

a perennial woody evergreen member of the Santolina genus in the family Compositae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
Height
0.6 m
Spread
1 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The bruised leaves have been known to cause a severe rash on sensitive skins[10].

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The aromatic leaves are used as a flavouring for broths, sauces, grain dishes etc[6][11].

Product or use
Condiment

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The leaves and flowering tops are antispasmodic, disinfectant, emmenagogue, stimulant and vermifuge[19][21][3][15]. Cotton lavender is rarely used medicinally[17], though it is sometimes used internally as a vermifuge for children and to treat poor digestion and menstrual problems[19][17]. When finely ground and applied to insect stings or bites, the plant will immediately ease the pain[21]. Applied to surface wounds, it will hasten the healing process by encouraging the formation of scar tissue[21]. The leaves and flowering stems are harvested in the summer and dried for later use[17].

Product or use
Antispasmodic
Product or use
Disinfectant
Product or use
Emmenagogue
Product or use
Stings
Product or use
Vermifuge

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Plants can be grown as a low formal hedge and used as an edging plant[14]. The plant is very tolerant of shearing[14]. In less exposed areas the plants can be trimmed in the autumn, otherwise they need to be cut by early April if they are to be allowed to flower[18]. Plants can also be grown for ground cover[12]. They are best spaced about 60cm apart each way[16]. The leaves are strewn amongst clothes to repel moths etc[19][6][9][13][2]. The growing plant repels various insect pests, especially cabbage moths[15]. The dried leaves are used in pot-pourri[17]. An essential oil from the leaves is used in perfumery[19], the oil is also obtained from the flowers[7].

Product or use
Dye
Product or use
Essential
Product or use
Pot-pourri
Product or use
Repellent

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Soil surface

Ground cover

Hedge

Environment

Range
Europe - Mediterranean. Occasionally naturalized in Britain[8].
Habitat
Dry ground, stony banks and rocks[2], usually on calcareous soils[21].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 7+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline, very alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
high wind, maritime exposure, drought
Wind
Yes
Maritime
Yes
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
tolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. Does not require pre-treatment[5]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe side shoots, 5 - 8 cm long with a heel, July/August in a frame. Roots within 2 weeks. High percentage[22]. The heeled cuttings can also be placed direct into the open garden in early July and should be well-rooted by the winter[18]. Division in spring or autumn[4]. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the summer. Layering.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

An easy and undemanding plant that does not require a rich soil, though it strongly dislikes wet conditions around the roots[1][3][6][14]. Prefers a light sandy fairly poor soil on a sunny slope[14]. Prefers a chalky soil[12]. Established plants are drought tolerant[12]. They succeed in a hot dry position[12]. Hardy to about -15°c when in a well-drained soil. A very wind hardy plant, it succeeds on the top of Cornish dry-stone walls[20]. A very ornamental plant[1], there are several named varieties[18]. Cotton lavender tolerates shearing so long as this is not done at times of low resistance (winter?)[14]. Plants can be cut back hard in spring to maintain their form[14][16], though this will prevent them flowering[16]. A good companion plant for roses[15]. Flowers are produced on two year old wood[10]. The leaves are very aromatic[12]. The bruised leaves are pleasantly pungent, though the flowers have an unpleasant smell[18]. The form S. chamaecyparissus nana has a more pungent aroma than the type[18]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[14].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  2. Polunin. O. Flowers of Europe - A Field Guide. Oxford University Press 1969-00-00 ISBN 0192176218

    ↩1↩2

  3. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  4. Sanders. T. W. Popular Hardy Perennials. Collingridge 1926-00-00

    ↩

  5. Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0942375009

    ↩

  6. Bryan. J. and Castle. C. Edible Ornamental Garden. Pitman Publishing 1976-00-00 ISBN 0-273-00098-5

    ↩1↩2↩3

  7. Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-02-544950-8

    ↩

  8. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

    ↩

  9. Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants. Watkins 1979-00-00

    ↩

  10. Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2

    ↩1↩2

  11. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩

  12. Chatto. B. The Dry Garden. Dent 1982-00-00 ISBN 0460045512

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  13. Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening. Garden Way, Vermont, USA. 1978-00-00 ISBN 0-88266-064-0

    ↩

  14. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

  15. Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd. 1993-00-00 ISBN 0-304-34324-2

    ↩1↩2↩3

  16. Thomas. G. S. Plants for Ground Cover J. M. Dent & Sons 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-460-12609-1

    ↩1↩2↩3

  17. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  18. Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  19. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  20. Arnold-Forster. Shrubs for the Milder Counties.

    ↩

  21. Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-356-10541-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  22. Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00

    ↩

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