How big does Green santolina grow?

About 60 cm × 80 cm after ten years (height × width).

What soil does Green santolina grow in?

It tolerates these soils: sandy, calcareous, average garden soil.

Is Green santolina hardy?

Hardy down to -15 °C (USDA zone 7, RHS H5). In the colder parts of the country (Carinthia, Lower Austria, Salzburg, Styria, Tyrol, Upper Austria, Vorarlberg) it may not survive winter without protection.

How far from the house should Green santolina be planted?

Plant it at least 1 m from buildings. Keep it at least 0.5 m from paving.

How far apart should Green santolina be planted?

Planted on its own, it needs 50 cm between plants. For a hedge, allow 3 plants per metre.

When does Green santolina flower?

Flowering: June–August, yellow.

How much water does Green santolina need?

Water need: low. Drought tolerance: high.

Green santolina

Santolina rosmarinifolia

Green santolina (Santolina rosmarinifolia) is a shrub that reaches 60 cm × 80 cm after ten years. Light: full sun. Hardy down to -15 °C. Drought tolerance: high.

Illustration of Green santolina — An illustration of the typical shape of the mature plant, not a photo.

What it's good for, and what it isn't

A Mediterranean subshrub with bright green, thread-fine aromatic foliage that forms a dense cushion and is covered with pale yellow button flowers in summer. It wants full sun and lean, gritty, sharply drained soil, and it clips well into a low edging hedge. Cut it back every year or it turns bare and splits open, and expect it to die quickly in heavy, wet ground.

Watch out for

Only moderately hardy in Central Europe: reliable to roughly -12 to -15 °C in lean, well-drained soil, it can die back or be lost in a hard winter without snow and needs a warm, sheltered position in colder areas. Wet, heavy soil kills it through root and crown rot, and warm humid weather can also bring fungal collar rot. It is short-lived: without regular hard pruning it turns bare and splits open within a few years.

Key facts

Light: Full sun
Water need: Low
Care: Medium
Size after 10 years: 60 cm × 80 cm
Hardiness: down to -15 °C
Foliage: Evergreen
Flowering: J F M A M J J A S O N D June–August, yellow

Group	Shrub
Light	Full sun
Size after 10 years	60 cm × 80 cm
Ultimate size	0.4–1 m × 0.5–1 m
Hardiness	down to -15 °C (USDA 7, RHS H5)
Soil	Sandy, Calcareous, Average garden soil
Foliage	Evergreen
Flowering	June–August, yellow
Water need	Low
Drought tolerance	High
Maintenance	Medium
Root aggressiveness	Low
Suckering	no
Spreading	Low
Distance from buildings	at least 1 m
Distance from paving	at least 0.5 m
Litter	not typical
Planting distance	50 cm
For dogs	no data
For cats	no data
For children	no data
Typical price	no data

Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor.

Frequently asked questions

Data updated: October 13, 2026 · How our data is made

Appears in these lists

Ground cover plants Drought-tolerant plants Drought-tolerant shrubs Drought-tolerant plants for sandy soil Hedge plants Evergreen hedge plants Low hedge plants Evergreen plants Shrubs for pollinators Plants for containers Plants for a Mediterranean garden Flowering shrubs Low shrubs Fragrant plants Fragrant shrubs

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