Santolina chamaecyparissus explained

Santolina chamaecyparissus (syn. S. incana), known as cotton lavender or lavender-cotton, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, native to the western and central Mediterranean.

Nomenclature

The specific epithet chamaecyparissus means "like Chamaecyparis" (ground cypress), though it is not closely related to that plant.^[1] It is also not closely related to either cotton or lavender, despite its common name "cotton lavender".Recognized varieties or subspecies are

• var. etrusca Lacaita ≡ S. etrusca (Lacaita) Marchi & D'Amato
• subsp. magonica O. Bolòs, Molin. & P. Monts. ≡ S. magonica (O. Bolòs, Molin. & P. Monts.) Romo, = var. teucrietorum O. Bolòs & Vigo
• var. pectinata f. insularis Gennari ex Fiori ≡ S. insularis (Gennari ex Fiori) Arrigoni
• var. vedranensis O. Bolòs & Vigo ≡ S. vedranensis (O. Bolòs & Vigo) L. Sáez, M. Serrano, S. Ortiz & R. Carbajal^[2]

Description

It is a small evergreen shrub growing to 50cm (20inches) tall and broad. Densely covered in aromatic, grey-green leaves, in summer it produces masses of yellow, button-like composite flowerheads, held on slender stems above the foliage. The disc florets are tubular and there are no ray florets.^[3]

Cultivation

This plant is valued in cultivation as groundcover or as an edging plant for a hot, sunny, well-drained spot, though it may be short-lived. Once established, plants can tolerate dry and poor soils. Its compact shape can be maintained by cutting back in spring.^[4]

Numerous cultivars have been produced, of which 'Nana', a dwarf form growing to 25cm (10inches), has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.^[5]

Uses

In cosmetics it is used as a tonic.^[6] It is an effective fumigant^[7]

Pathogens

• Phytophthora tentaculata^[8]

External links

• Flora Europaea: Santolina

Notes and References

1. Book: Harrison, Lorraine . RHS Latin for gardeners . 2012 . Mitchell Beazley . United Kingdom . 9781845337315 . 224.
2. Giacò . Antonio . Astuti . Giovanni . Peruzzi . Lorenzo . 2021 . Typification and nomenclature of the names in the Santolina chamaecyparissus species complex (Asteraceae) . Taxon . en . 70 . 1 . 189–201 . 10.1002/tax.12429 . 1996-8175 . free.
3. Book: RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants . 2008 . Dorling Kindersley . United Kingdom . 978-1405332965 . 1136.
4. Web site: Santolina chamaecyparissus - Plant Finder . www.missouribotanicalgarden.org . en-US . 2018-07-03.
5. Web site: RHS Plant Selector - Santolina chamaecyparissus 'Nana' . 5 March 2021.
6. Book: Diccionario de Ingredientes\ 4ª Ed . Carrasco, F. . www.imagenpersonal.net . 2009 . 978-84-613-4979-1 . 509 . Ingredientes Cosméticos.
7. Web site: Wave Hill Botanical Garden Sign . English: Lavender cotton, Santolina Chamaecyparissus . 14 August 2021 .
8. Álvarez . L. A. . Pérez-Sierra, A. . León, M. . Armengol, J. . García-Jiménez, J. . Lavender cotton root rot: a new host of Phytophthora tentaculata found in Spain . American Phytopathological Society.