Bright, yellow, button flowers open in summer.
Lavender Cotton Care
It’s easy to grow this low-growing shrub.
Native to the coastal Mediterranean basin, lavender cotton is salt tolerant.
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The chief care requirement is annual pruning after flowering to keep a full, mounded appearance.
Rarely grown indoors, its small size, nevertheless, works well inmixed containersand pots.
It will tolerate some shade with slower growth and diminished flowering.
Rich soils and those that hold water cause irreversible rot and plant loss.
Once established, lavender cotton requires irrigation only during extended periods of hot, dry weather.
Temperature and Humidity
Lavender cotton withstands temperatures as high as 115F and as low as 0F.
This Mediterranean native also prefers a dry climate with low humidity.
Provide good air circulation to discourage fungal growth.
Fertilizer
Fertilizer is best avoided all together.
Lavender cotton does not do well with supplemental nutrients or planted in fertile soils.
The goal is to maintain an evenly rounded shape.
This is accomplished using several methods.
Trimming or shearing is done in autumn.
Hard pruning is done in early spring and should not extend into established hardwood.
Begin this project when plants are actively growing.
You need a razor blade, rooting hormone, and an anchor pin or rock.
They do require a 30 day stratification before planting.
Clay, unglazed terracotta, and wood are best for maintaining dry soil.
ensure containers have good drainage holes.
Sandy garden soil or container mix without fertilizer is suitable.
Common Pests and Plant Diseases
This is a sturdy plant not bothered by pests or disease.
It’s strong scent is off-putting to rabbits and deer.
Lavender cotton can become infected with root rot and pythium wilt.
These problems are likely to come up only if plants are overwatered or grown in poorly drained soil.
How to Get Lavender Cotton to Bloom
Lavender cotton blooms reliably all summer without any extra fuss.
How Long Does Lavender Cotton Bloom?
Flowers are long standing and usually last all summer.
What Do Lavender Cotton Flowers Look and Smell Like?
Blossoms are made up of numerous tiny tubular flowers that form a button shape atop each stem.
Half-inch flowers appear in shades of yellow from creamy to bright and yellow-gold.
Flowers are strongly scented and often compared to oregano or camphor.
Both flowers and foliage are a traditional ingredient in potpourri.
This is a good time to take semi-ripe cuttings to propagate new plants.
Overwatering, failure to prune, and old age are most likely to cause your plant to decline.
Symptoms include wilting during the day, yellowing leaves, stunted growth, and mushy brown roots.
Annual trimming can keep these short-lived plants going for five or six years but plan ahead for replacements.
Part of the attraction of this low-growing shrub is its round, slightly mounded shape.
Plants spread out to about 2 feet in diameter but eventually develop a bare center and should be replaced.
Bright yellow flowers are especially attractive to bees but also draw moths and butterflies.
Flowers produce nectar and pollen serving as both host and food plants.
