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Shrubs

Leucophyta brownii 'Extra Silver'

A half-hardy, bushy shrub to 60cm tall, with intricately branched, slender, silvery white-downy stems. Scale-like, silvery-grey leaves are pressed closely against the stems, so that the bush appears leafless. In late spring and summer it produces pale yellow flowers in small, spherical flowerheads. Grow in a cool greenhouse, as summer bedding, or in a dry garden in mild districts

Synonyms

Calocephalus brownii 'Extra Silver'

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Ultimate height

0.5–1 metres

Time to ultimate height

5–10 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

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)

Botanical details

Family: Asteraceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Bushy
Genus: A genus of just one species (L. brownii) of perennial plant, native to rocky parts of Australia with silvery, ghost-like foliage. Silver, button-like buds appear in late spring to summer, opening to spherical racemes of yellow flowers
Name status: Unresolved

How to grow

Cultivation

Under glass, grow in peat-free, loam-based potting compost with added grit, in full light. Water moderately during the growing season and apply a balanced liquid fertiliser monthly; water sparingly in winter. Outdoors, grow in sharply drained, moderately fertile soil in full sun. Pinch out stem tips of young plants to promote bushiness

Propagation

Propagate by semi-ripe cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Gravel garden
Mediterranean climate plants
Patio and container plants
Conservatory and greenhouse

Pruning

See pruning group 10

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

May be susceptible to grey moulds

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