Ozothamnus rosmarinifolius Silver Jubilee

Ozothamnus rosmarinifolius 'Silver Jubilee' is an elegant evergreen bush from a maritime climate, also known as the Rice Flower with Rosemary-like Leaves. From a distance, it somewhat resembles a giant cotton lavender, dressed in silver-grey. Its tiny leaves, as well as its stems, are covered in a short gray wool. It becomes even more decorative when its pinkish flower buds form, which open into small white clusters. Perfectly suited for coastal areas, especially the Mediterranean coast, it can be planted on slopes, in rockeries, or as a hedge.

Ozothamnus rosmarinifolius 'Silver Jubilee' is a very silver selection obtained from seeds collected in the wild in the South Port Bluff region of Southeast Tasmania in 1978. The species is native to southeastern Australia and Tasmania. It thrives in well-drained, sandy or rocky soil and can tolerate brief frosts of around -10 to -12 °C in these conditions. The 'Silver Jubilee' variety forms an upright, egg-shaped bush with a fairly regular habit, fine texture, and multiple vertical, branching stems. Its growth is relatively slow, reaching between 1.50 m and 2 m in height and 1 m to 1.50 m in width. Its slender, grey to whitish branches bear small narrow leaves that are greyish on the upper side and almost white on the underside. The vegetation becomes more silver in dry and hot conditions. Flowering occurs between June and July. At the end of each branch, a corymb composed of very small flower heads forms. When in bud stage, their colour is a reddish pink, perfectly complementing the silver foliage. The buds open into tiny flower heads that are slightly grayish-white and turn rusty as the seeds form.

The Rice Flower with Rosemary-like Leaves 'Silver Jubilee' is an original, drought-resistant plant, more resilient than one might think. If the soil it is planted in is sufficiently dry in winter, it can be grown in open ground inland. In a coastal garden, create a beautiful shrub bed by combining it with a Euryops pectinatus daisy, a Coleonema pulchrum confetti bush, a 'Sunset' pulverulent cistus, a 'Bowles Mauve' wallflower, and a tall 'Meerlo' lavender, for example. In a medium-sized hedge, this Ozothamnus can be accompanied by New Zealand myrtles (Leptospermum), Oléaria scillionensis, and callistemon rigidus.