Santolina pinnata subsp. neapolitana (Green Santolina)

Santolina pinnata subsp. nepolitana (Green Santolina), a favorite of Mediterranean gardens, is a beautiful evergreen shrub noted for its attractive foliage, profuse midsummer show of long-stalked, button-like bright yellow flowers. Aromatic if bruised, this compact variety of Santolina features thinner, pinnate, gray-green leaves that have a more feathery look, a finer texture and more graceful demeanor than Santolina chamaecyparissus.

• Mostly grown for its foliage, this native to the Mediterranean region won the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society (1993).
• Typically grows in broad, dense mounds up to 24 inches (60 cm) in dry to medium, well-drained soil and thrives in full sun.
• A poor, dry soil lover (rich soils or wet soils to be avoided!), Santolina is a great candidate for beds, borders, rock gardens and contributes to lovely edgings.
• Drought tolerant once established, this plant is easy to grow, requires little maintenance and is virtually pest and disease free.
• Deer and rabbit resistant
• Unpruned plants tend to become sparse and woody in the center. Cut back yearly, before spring growth begins to help control this trait. You can simply trim as needed around the edges or cut the whole plant back to a few inches high. After the blossoms fade, shear or clip off flowering shoots. In cold winters, plants may die to the ground, but they should send out new growth in spring.