Olearia scilloniensis Compacta - Daisy Bush

The Olearia (x) scilloniensis 'Compacta' is a dwarf and particularly floriferous evergreen bush, a plant well suited for pot cultivation and small gardens in mild climates. In spring, it is adorned with a multitude of small white flowers with yellow hearts, resembling asters, which has earned it the common name of Tree Aster. Its beautiful dense foliage, a grayish green color, persists throughout the year. It is fairly drought-resistant once well established in the ground, relatively tolerant of most soil conditions, but moderately hardy. When grown in a pot, it will require regular watering.

The 'Olearia (x) scillionensis (sometimes spelled scillonensis) was born in 1910 on Tresco, in the Scilly Isles, located southwest of the Cornish peninsula, off the British Isles. It is the result of cross-breeding between an Olearia lirata, native to southeastern Australia, and an O. phlogopappa, native to Tasmania and the southeastern coast of Australia. 'Compacta', as its name suggests, is a compact form of this hybrid. This shrub, very bushy, with a dense and rather rounded habit, will reach about 80-90 cm (32-35in) in the ground in an oceanic climate, but rather 50 cm (20in) in a dry climate or in a pot. It belongs to the family of asters. Its angular and hairy branches bear small narrow leaves, entire, with undulate margins, measuring 3 to 5 cm (1 to 2in) in length, slightly villous, grayish green on the upper side, almost white underneath. The flowering, remarkably abundant, takes place in May-June, in the form of corymbs composed of numerous small heads, 2 cm (1in) wide, resembling small white daisies with yellow centers. The flowering is followed by the formation of a fruit called an achene; seed dispersal is ensured by the wind.

Hardy down to -8°C (17.6°F) at its lowest, the Olearia scillionensis Compacta will naturally find its place in a small seaside garden, where it will form a very flowery bed, along with small spring-flowering bushes such as cistus and shrubby salvias. In a large border, it can be used in combination with other evergreen shrubs such as Leptospermum (Nanum Tui, Wiri Kerry, Red Falls), Atriplex halimus, cotton lavenders, or even Artemisia arborescens. It is perfectly suited for gardens on the oceanic facade where it appreciates sandy or humus-rich soils, but also tolerates Mediterranean summers if it receives watering during severe drought and has well-draining soil.

It is often said that this Olearia prefers slightly acidic soil, but our experience shows that it performs very well in a limo-clay soil with a tendency towards limestone in Mediterranean areas.