Olive Herb, Grey Rosemary, Cotton Lavender or the Holy Flax is native to the Iberian Peninsula and some coastal areas of Portugal. This Santolina has longer, soft, fine textured leaves compared to S. chamaecyparisus and provides excellent wildlife and insect habitat. Less fragrant and less pungent than S. chamaecyparisus, the leaves can be used more easily in mediterranean dishes and cocktails, to add an olive-like flavour.
It is a useful ground cover plant for unimproved soils, growing into a dense, compact evergreen shrub up to 60 cm high, and a width often up to a metre. This Santolina thrives in heat and dry soils but dislikes winter wetness (in fact any wetness, so don't irrigate it) - so a free draining soil with an open airy aspect is best, plant on a slope if you have one. Through early summer it is covered in tight pale yellow composite flower heads carried on slender stalks above the foliage. The size and fine texture of this Santolina, particularly if planted in 3's and 5's, is useful as a back-drop to the smaller lavenders (or any other purplish flowering plant, such as Teucriums and Salvias), providing a lovely contrast to both the blue/grey foliage and the darker flowers of these plants.
We are a plant nursery in the Algarve specialising in dry mediterranean species. We propagate and grow our own stock in conditions they are likely to endure when they are planted out.
We grow plants that are adapted to the dry land conditions in Portugal and southern Spain, both mediterranean perennials and succulents.
We choose plants that require very little water and maintenance. We produce a range of dry land plants that are typical of the worlds mediterranean regions. These are available to order ready for planting in the wetter months of the year. Please order the plants you need and we’ll have them ready at the best time for planting.
To ensure your new plants adapt and establish quickly, we produce them in special anti-spiral root pruning containers and a range of fibre pots (no plastic waste) with our own tried and tested growing media.
Viveiros Jardimseco
Tavira, Algarve
Please note we have no retail outlet or garden centre and are not open to the public. For more information you can contact us here.
Plantas adaptadas à seca - produzimos plantas adaptadas às condições de Portugal e Sul de Espanha, tanto espécies mediterrânicas como suculentas.
Oferecemos uma gama de espécies típicas das zonas climáticas mediterrânicas em todo o mundo.