Common name: Gray Lavender Cotton
Botanical name: Santolina chamaecyparissus

This ground cover/small shrub will grow to 3' tall and has small, grayish silver leaves with yellow flowers that bloom in the summer. A native of the Mediterranean region, Lavender Cotton has been cultivated in gardens since the sixteenth century. This slow growing shrub is very hardy . Its yellow flowers can be cut during or after they bloom in order to encourage fresh growth of the aromatic, gray foliage, which is not attractive to deer. Lavender Cotton's stems have been used for household moth repellent and to produce oil for perfume. The plant also responds well to shearing and is used in knot gardens and as a border for walkways and perennial beds.