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Asteraceae FAMILY

Santolina pinnata neopolitana

Santolina pinnata neopolitana

Edibility
0/5
Medicinal
0/5

Safety & Hazards

The bruised leaves have been known to cause a severe rash on sensitive skins[1].

Cultivation Details

HabitEvergreen Shrub
Growth—

Does not require a rich soil and dislikes wet conditions around the roots[2]. Prefers a light sandy soil in full sun[2]. Established plants are drought tolerant[2], growing well in a hot dry soil[3]. Tolerates salt-laden winds[2]. Hardy to about -15°c[4]. There are some named forms, selected for their ornamental value[5, 2]. The flowers smell vile[3], rather like perspiration[6]. The foliage is most aromatic[6]. Tolerates shearing so long as this is not done at times of low resistance (winter?)[2]. Plants can be cut back hard in spring to maintain their form[2]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[2].

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. Does not require pre-treatment[7]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe side shoots, 5 - 8 cm, mid summer in a frame. Roots within 2 weeks. High percentage[8]. Division in spring or autumn[9]. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the summer. Layering. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Santolina+pinnata+neopolitana>

Pollinators

Insects

References

  1. [1]Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. — Thomas. G. S. · Murray · 1992 · ISBN 0-7195-5043-2 ↩︎Contains a wide range of plants with a brief description, mainly of their ornamental value but also usually of cultivation details and varieties.
  2. [2]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  3. [3]The Dry Garden. — Chatto. B. · Dent · 1982 · ISBN 0460045512 ↩︎A good list of drought resistant plants with details on how to grow them.
  4. [4]Shrubs. — Phillips. R. & Rix. M. · Pan Books · 1989 · ISBN 0-330-30258-2 ↩︎Excellent photographs and a terse description of 1,900 species and cultivars.
  5. [5]Hedges and Screens. — Shepherd. F.W. · Royal Horticultural Society. · 1974 · ISBN 0900629649 ↩︎A small but informative booklet giving details of all the hedging plants being grown in the R.H.S. gardens at Wisley in Surrey.
  6. [6]Scented Flora of the World. — Genders. R. · Robert Hale. London. · 1994 · ISBN 0-7090-5440-8 ↩︎An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.
  7. [7]The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. — Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. · Athens Ga. Varsity Press · 1987 · ISBN 0942375009 ↩︎A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.
  8. [8]Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. — Sheat. W. G. · MacMillan and Co · 1948 · ISBN - ↩︎A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
  9. [9]Popular Hardy Perennials. — Sanders. T. W. · Collingridge · 1926 · ISBN - ↩︎A fairly wide range of perennial plants that can be grown in Britain and how to grow them.
  10. [10]Plants for Ground Cover — Thomas. G. S. · J. M. Dent & Sons · 1990 · ISBN 0-460-12609-1 ↩︎An excellent detailled book on the subject, very comprehensive.