Santolina is an ornamental plant belonging to the Astrov family. Evergreen shrub is most common in the south of the European part of the continent. It is notable for its versatility of use, which is not limited to decorating the interior. Thanks to the essential oils included in the composition, the plant is used as a spice, and also repels moths. Perennial includes many garden and indoor species.
Description and features of Santolin
The stems grow up to 20 cm, while very tonic in cross section. They are decorated with yellow inflorescences, having the shape of a ball and reaching a diameter of 2 cm. Flowering covers the entire summer period. A low bush (up to 60 cm) is often used by landscape designers for landscaping an alpine hill, flowerbed, and it is not infrequently a composition with decorative stones.
Types and varieties of Santolin
| View | Description |
| Cypress | The most common view among garden lovers. A small bush (up to 50 cm tall) exudes a characteristic aroma. It is notable for its flowering, which is very magnificent in comparison with others. Leaves as they grow older change color from green to gray with a silver tint. The inflorescences are represented by the standard ball shape for santolina. It blooms from mid to late summer. There are 2 dwarf varieties (Small Nels and Nana) belonging to this species and one (Edward Bowers) having cream-colored inflorescences. |
| Cirrus | Leaves of oblong shape reach 4 cm in length. The bush grows to 60 cm in height. Spherical inflorescences are painted with a cream shade. |
| Neapolitan | The species is notable for its growth - up to 1 m, but there are dwarf varieties (Pritti Carol and Weston) that do not grow above 0.15 m. The shape of the inflorescences is spherical, and the color is yellow. Dissected leaves are painted bright green. It does not tolerate frost and is thermophilic, so the cultivation of the Neapolitan Santolin is usually carried out in an alpine greenhouse. |
| Greenish (Green) | The peculiarity of the species is due to frost resistance up to -7 ° C. Cirrus-dissected openwork leaves. Inflorescences of the shape of the ball are notable for a milky white color. |
| Graceful | The species is quite difficult to grow, because it is thermophilic. A miniature bush is actively used as an ampoule, suitable for cultivation in indoor and greenhouse conditions. Spherical inflorescences are yellow in color. |
| Rosemary leaf | Leaves exude an olive aroma. It contains a lot of essential oils, so its cultivation is not limited to decorative purposes. |
| Santa | It is represented by 6 separate species, which differ greatly in various parameters. |
Planting and caring for santolina
Since the plant is not whimsical, care for an already planted specimen should include only:
- Regular weeding;
- Loosening the soil;
- Watering as needed;
- Insulation in frost.
Santolin growing conditions
| Factor | Conditions |
| Location | You should choose a well-lit, otherwise the stems will stretch, and the smell will almost disappear. When cultivated as a room, it is necessary to store the flower on the balcony or in the garden in order for Santolin to get enough sun. It is important that the landing site is away from groundwater. |
| The soil | The habitat of the shrub in natural conditions is very harsh, so santolina will demonstrate good growth rates on scarce soils, but on nutrient ones, on the contrary, it may not even bloom. Soil with a neutral pH, sandy loam or rocky is most suitable. |
| Drainage | It should be available, expanded clay, crushed stone or broken brick will be suitable as drainage material. |
| Watering | It is carried out as the soil dries. A short-term lack of moisture is not able to cause significant damage to the plant, which cannot be confirmed by excessive watering, which can provoke root decay and yellowing of the greenery and the stem. |
| Top dressing | It is produced three times during the entire summer period with mineral fertilizers with a minimum nitrogen concentration. To stimulate flowering, it is allowed to fertilize twice in 1 month. Excessive dressing can harm the growth and flowering process of santholina. |
| Pruning | At the end of flowering, it is worth removing 2/3 of the shoot length. Such measures help keep the bush from decay, which happens due to increased growth. Inflorescences are pruned with the first signs of wilting. A mature plant (3 years or older) can be rejuvenated by removing stiff stems. It is allowed to cut the bush regardless of the time of year. |
Santolin wintering
Santolin's winter hardiness is insufficient to cope with the frosts of the middle lane, so for this period the bush should be temporarily placed in the house or a shelter is made for it.
In the first case, the plant is removed from the soil in October, placed in a pot and stored as a room until the spring thaw. In this case, the room temperature should not be higher than +18 ° С.
In the second case, the soil around the shrub is sprinkled with a layer of mulch (needles, wood ash and river sand are suitable). Then Santolin should be covered with a container or a box of wood, and on top lay polyethylene, roofing felt. So that the structure does not fall apart from the wind, it is recommended to press it with a load. In March, shelter should be dismantled and composted.
Santolin Reproduction
It is carried out in two ways, each of which has its own nuances, advantages and disadvantages.
Dividing the bush
A similar method can be carried out no more than 1 time in 5 years. It has a positive effect on the health of the shrub, as it promotes renewal. It is produced in March and includes the following sequence of actions:
- Extraction of santolin from the soil;
- Dividing the root into several parts with a disinfected tool;
- Disinfection of the cutting site with charcoal or activated carbon;
- Planting seedlings.
At the same time, only healthy shoots should be on the separated parts.
Cuttings
In early spring, cuttings that have reached 5 cm in length should be cut from the parent bush. Then you need to immerse them in the stimulator until the root appears and plant them in wet sand, while covering each individual sample with a container (for example, a glass jar), when the leaves appear - the shelter will need to be removed. After 2 months, santolina can be transplanted into the open ground, since it has already acquired a full-fledged root.
Diseases and Pests
The plant is not susceptible to attack by insect pests, and it rarely gets sick. Improper care can provoke the occurrence of ailments. Root rot appears due to excessive watering or stagnation of water, it can be recognized with a sharp yellowing of the stalks of Santolin. In this case, it is worth stopping watering and treat the plant with fungicide.
Excessive shading or aridity of the soil will lead to wilting, in which case it is worth replanting the shrub immediately.
Mr. Summer resident recommends: a useful plant Santolin
Santolin has a positive effect on the digestive system, if you add it to dishes as a seasoning.
The content of santolin, in particular greenish and rosemary, will only improve the palatability of food. Fresh juice of the plant has a calming skin property and is great for insect bites.
