Santolina rosmarinifolia Lemon Fizz

Lemon Fizz Santolina is a new horticultural hybrid with beautiful golden foliage, derived from the Santolina virens, an evergreen and hardy Mediterranean shrub. This beautiful cultivar exhibits particularly bright foliage throughout the year, with a highly aromatic scent when crushed. 'Lemon Fizz' forms a dense, plump cushion that is covered in summer with abundant flowers in the form of small round light yellow heads. This plant, equipped to withstand drought, heat, and rocky soils, is perfect for dry and poor slopes, in full sun.

Lemon Fizz Santolina is a recent horticultural creation which showcases the characteristics of Santolina virens, an undershrub native to rocky areas of Southern Europe. This woody perennial belongs to the aster family. It forms a rounded clump of 30 to 40 cm (12 to 16in) in height and spread, sometimes more, depending on the growing conditions and soil type. Its woody and prostrate stems easily root upon contact with the ground, allowing it to form beautiful compact cushions, extending into golden carpets. They are covered with evergreen and fragrant foliage, exuding a scent reminiscent of bergamot and turpentine. The lemon-yellow leaves are almost linear and very thin, with barely noticeable small teeth along the edges. The inflorescences appear in summer, from June to August. These are small round heads, 1 to 1.5 cm (1in) in diameter, resembling small lace bonnets in a light yellow colour. It is advisable to prune the plant after flowering to maintain a compact habit. This variety is hardy down to -15°C (5°F), in well-drained soil and sheltered locations.

This charming undershrub for rock gardens and poor soils is perfectly adapted to drought. It particularly dislikes heavy, rich, and moist soils. Create a bed to accompany your santolina, evoking the Mediterranean scrubland, by mixing the foliage and fragrances of rockroses, lavenders, rosemarys, thymes, and salvias. Add California poppies and dryland spurges for some dynamism in your composition. Santolinas tolerate pruning very well. It is even essential to maintain a compact habit. They can be planted along pathways, kept as low hedges, or placed in the middle of a rock garden, adding a golden or silvery touch. They are excellent ground covers that prevent the germination of weeds. Lemon Fizz santolina is also highly ornamental in large pots, to cover the base of Mediterranean shrubs such as oleanders, rosemarys, or lavenders. In this case, it is important to allow the substrate to dry between two waterings.

Properties:

Santolines have insecticidal properties. Like lavender, they were used in the past to repel moths in closets.