Bupleurum rotundifolium

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thorow-wax

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thorow-wax RHS

Other common names

common hare's ear, forcible plant, North American modesty plant, thorough-wax, thoroughwort

Synonyms

Bupleurum griffithii
Bupleurum perfoliatum

Annual Biennial
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An erect, branching annual to 30cm, with roundish leaves, the upper ones clasping the reddish stem. Clusters of tiny yellow flowers in rings of leaf-like bracteoles are grouped at the end of each stem branch. Formerly a cornfield weed, it now barely occurs in the wild, but makes a decorative garden annual

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
1 year
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
West–facing or South–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H5

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Apiaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
Yes
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Columnar upright
Genus
Bupleurum may be annuals, perennials or evergreen shrubs; the leaves are simple, the tiny yellow or green flowers are borne in a cluster usually subtended by petal-like green to yellow bracts
Name Status
Correct
Plant Range
Europe, Mediterranean to Central Asia

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in any well-drained soil in full sun

Propagation

Propagate by seed. It is best to sow fresh seed in the autumn or sow in a cold frame in spring. Can self-seed

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Gravel garden
  • Prairie planting
  • Mediterranean climate plants
  • Wildflower meadow
  • Banks and slopes
  • Cut flowers
  • Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Deadhead to control self-seeding

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free