All about cypress santolina

Santolina is a perennial plant native to the Mediterranean coast. The culture perfectly adapted to the Russian conditions of existence, and especially the gardeners fell in love with the varieties of cypress santolina. Let's take a closer look at this interesting culture.

It is a small shrub, reaching a maximum length of 60 cm. It has shoots that develop in the form of an arc, dissected feathery leaves and single yellow flowers that appear in June-August. The stems of the plant are distinguished by a silvery-gray color, in appearance it looks like a shrub covering with snow.

The plant will feel comfortable when grown in areas that are well lit by the sun. If you plant a shrub in partial shade, then it will lose its shape. Choose a bed with dry and permeable soil for planting; sandy loam or stony soil is more suitable.

Sowing is carried out in February-March in containers with a light substrate. Caring for hatched seedlings consists in moisturizing and maintaining a comfortable microclimate. When 2-3 leaves appear, the bushes dive. Transplanting into open ground usually occurs at the end of May or the beginning of June, before that it is important that the seedlings are hardened. The sprouts are planted in a selected area along with an earthen clod and watered.

Subsequent care consists of watering and feeding. In a rainy summer, santolina does not need moisture, but a plant may not survive a drought without water, so the frequency of watering depends on the weather conditions. Monitor the moisture content of the topsoil. After irrigation, it is advisable to loosen the soil and remove weeds. Top dressing at the stage of active growth is applied once a week. For this, mineral solutions with a small amount of nitrogen are suitable; fertilization should be stopped in August.

This process is not difficult for gardeners.

• The most effective and easy way is to divide the bush. Simply split the bush in two with a spade, and transplant one of them to a new location.
• Breeding of a culture by cuttings is also allowed. To do this, the petioles are treated with a root former stimulant and planted in moist soil, creating a compact greenhouse on top.
• Another breeding method is sowing. This is a rarer method, however, patient summer residents can try themselves in this difficult matter. First, the planting material is placed in a refrigerator for stratification, and only then sowing is carried out in containers.

Cypress Santolina perfectly emphasizes the beauty of the suburban area. It can be used as a low hedge to frame a bright flower bed or even garden trees. From this variety, original delicate borders are obtained, the plant will look great on an alpine slide. And if you plant it next to lavender or sage, then the garden will not only acquire a picturesque fabulous look, but will also be filled with an amazing aroma.

A compact culture can also be planted in containers or pots - containers with silvery vegetation and yellow flowers will perfectly complement any floral arrangement. Another unusual option is the staggered arrangement of "snowy" santolina with the same compact but green bushes.