Plant Library

Other Names:  Woolybush

Description:

This shrub may look delicate with its soft needle-like foliage, but it is tough as nails, and can tolerate periods of dryness; a costal plant that is at home in poor salty soils as well; flowers appear in clusters at the base of the leaves

Ornamental Features

Coastal Wooly Bush has attractive grayish green evergreen foliage which emerges silver in spring on a plant with an upright spreading habit of growth. The fuzzy needles are highly ornamental and remain grayish green throughout the winter. It features subtle red tubular flowers along the branches from late fall to early spring.

Landscape Attributes

Coastal Wooly Bush is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It is a good choice for attracting birds, bees and butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Coastal Wooly Bush is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use
• Windbreaks and Shelterbelts

Planting & Growing

Coastal Wooly Bush will grow to be about 10 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 6 feet. It has a low canopy, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more.

This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for xeriscaping or the moisture-conserving landscape. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in poor soils, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America.