Santolina chamaecyparissus

Lavender-cotton

Family: Asteraceae · Type: shrub · Not Native

Lavender-cotton is a naturalized shrub found in southern California and the Santa Catalina Islands in disturbed areas at elevations below 1,200 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces small spherical flower heads approximately 1.5 to 2 centimeters in diameter with silvery-white blossoms. Growing 20 to 60 centimeters tall with a much-branched evergreen form, it displays a dense, silvery-gray to white tomentose appearance. Its leaves are pinnately dissected, three-dimensional, 2.5 to 4 centimeters long and 4 to 5 millimeters wide, creating a distinctive compact and intricate foliage structure. The fruit is 2.5 to 3 millimeters long with 5 distinct angles, contributing to its unique botanical character.

Habitat: Uncommon. Escape from cultivation in disturbed areas

Bloom period: May-Jul

Elevation: < 1200 m

Bioregions: SCo, SnGb

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.