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16 Silver foliage plants to experiment with
Silver and grey foliage plants add an extra dimension to any garden. They work well as complementary options or as focal points and many of their textures make them a wonderful addition. It's quite possible to create a garden solely from silver plants although most gardeners tend to integrate them into their current plantings.
If you're looking for a few ideas for your garden here are 16 plants that should fit comfortably into your landscape.
The cushion bush is a native of Western Australia and is a wonderful option if you're desiring some silver foliage in your garden. It's low maintenance, doesn't require much water and flowers little pom-pom blooms profusely for many months. This shrub only grows to about 1m (h) x 80cm (w).
Chalk dudleya is a beatiful grey succulent originating from the Mediterranean region. Like most silver plants, dudleyas prefer full-sun and minimal watering. An added bonus of the grey foliage is its red flowers which it sports in spring.
A common annual, sometimes grown as a perennial in warmer climates, Dusty Miller has soft grey foliage with yellow flowers in spring. Even when the blooms die down to a rusty brown these plants still look superb and offer a great option as a silver plant.
Another common option for the silver garden is Lamb's Ears. This wonderful groundcover can fill a space of 1m wide within a season and in some parts are classed as an invasive species. Their soft-textured leaves resemble lamb's ears, hence the common name.
A great option if you're looking for some mounding silver plants, Sandhill Sage looks great in it's compact form. It's a low grower, not exceeding 30cm, and will grow well in coastal areas. There are many green-grey sages but this one offers a true silver-grey alternative.
It's common name may give the illusion that this plant is where "curry" is harvested from but be assured this not the case. This is a plant that when it's silver foliage is rubbed releases the aroma of curry. It is still useful for edible purposes and can be added to sauces and soups as a last minute addition. Apart from the culinary aspect of this plant, it adds a wonderul silver foliage to your garden.
Another drought-tolerant Australian native, Eremophila maculata is a shrubbing perennial with gorgeous grey foliage and dainty purple blooms in late winter. Emu bushes can grow in very sandy soils to a height of 1.5-2m (h) and 1m (w).
Kalanchoes are such a wonderfully diverse group of succulents with great architectural forms and very vivid colours. Kalanchoe rhombopilosa is no different and the distinctly dark marbling adds another colour to this awesome grey plant. Kalanchoes don't require much water and can grow in most frost-free regions.
Another low-growing succulent species is the cotyledon family. This silver foliage plant can grow upwards to 1/2 metre but will mostly grow along the ground. They store water for later use and offer a very diverse texture to any garden.
A glorious form of acacia that has weeping fronds of silver-grey amassing orange blossoms at the end of winter. Most silver foliage plants have erect growing habits so this species of plant offers something very different for the home gardener. It's another West Australian native that grows to 2m high, loves full-sun and grows in very sandy or rocky soil.
While grey foliage plants are wonderful in the garden it's a great thing to find a silver tree to add some silver height to the landscape. It also has a weeping habit and looks quite scraggly in a grove of E. caesia's but as a focus plant looks incredible. It's an Australian native, originating in West Australia, that can grow up to 15m high but usually only makes it to 10m.
Originating from the south of Europe, cotton lavender, is another wonderful silver specimen. When it's not flowering profusely with yellow buttons this grey plant shrubs quite well. It's a perennial that appreciates frost-free regions and grows to about 60cm (h) with a 1m (w) spread.
If you've ever come across one of these South African natives growing in a garden then you've probably suffered some form of plant jealousy. The Silver Tree, as it is commonly known, grows upright with a very thin growing width. It is an endangered species in its natural habitat but their are many home owners in Mediterranean regions who grow these. If you're looking for a tall, columnar silver plant then this might be the option you're after.
Who can forget the lavender family when it comes to silver foliage plants! Many of the derivations of lavender offer silver foliage and come in compact, shrubbing and rambling forms. These plants grow best where most of the other grey plants grow but are also quite frost-tolerant. They're not as water-conserving as many of their silver counterparts but they can still last well in a drought.
With all the wonderful options now available in silver plants one can easily overlook the "tried and true" stayers of the home garden. No other plant has lasted the test of time than the humble carnation and while they are mainly prized for their blooms they can also be treasured for the grey foliage they offer. Most plants that offer great blooms have fairly ordinary foliage but this isn't the case with this plant and it can feature in most landscapes.
This is quite a different senecio to the one mentioned already at #3. This is Senecio serpens and is really another succulent that hugs the ground. It doesn't tolerate frost and prefers a full-sun aspect growing to about 60cm wide. It does produce blooms in spring but they are fairly insignificant.
1. Cushion Bush - Leucophyta brownii
The cushion bush is a native of Western Australia and is a wonderful option if you're desiring some silver foliage in your garden. It's low maintenance, doesn't require much water and flowers little pom-pom blooms profusely for many months. This shrub only grows to about 1m (h) x 80cm (w).
2. Chalk Dudleya - Dudleya pulverulenta
Chalk dudleya is a beatiful grey succulent originating from the Mediterranean region. Like most silver plants, dudleyas prefer full-sun and minimal watering. An added bonus of the grey foliage is its red flowers which it sports in spring.
3. Dusty Miller- Senecio cineraria
A common annual, sometimes grown as a perennial in warmer climates, Dusty Miller has soft grey foliage with yellow flowers in spring. Even when the blooms die down to a rusty brown these plants still look superb and offer a great option as a silver plant.
4. Lamb's ear - Stachys byzantina
Another common option for the silver garden is Lamb's Ears. This wonderful groundcover can fill a space of 1m wide within a season and in some parts are classed as an invasive species. Their soft-textured leaves resemble lamb's ears, hence the common name.
5. Sandhill Sage - Artemisia pycnocephala "David's choice"
A great option if you're looking for some mounding silver plants, Sandhill Sage looks great in it's compact form. It's a low grower, not exceeding 30cm, and will grow well in coastal areas. There are many green-grey sages but this one offers a true silver-grey alternative.
6. Curry Plant - Helichrysum italicum
It's common name may give the illusion that this plant is where "curry" is harvested from but be assured this not the case. This is a plant that when it's silver foliage is rubbed releases the aroma of curry. It is still useful for edible purposes and can be added to sauces and soups as a last minute addition. Apart from the culinary aspect of this plant, it adds a wonderul silver foliage to your garden.
7. Spotted Emu Bush - Eremophila maculata
Another drought-tolerant Australian native, Eremophila maculata is a shrubbing perennial with gorgeous grey foliage and dainty purple blooms in late winter. Emu bushes can grow in very sandy soils to a height of 1.5-2m (h) and 1m (w).
8. Kalanchoe - Kalanchoe rhombopilosa
Kalanchoes are such a wonderfully diverse group of succulents with great architectural forms and very vivid colours. Kalanchoe rhombopilosa is no different and the distinctly dark marbling adds another colour to this awesome grey plant. Kalanchoes don't require much water and can grow in most frost-free regions.
9. Silver Ruffles - Cotyledon undulata
Another low-growing succulent species is the cotyledon family. This silver foliage plant can grow upwards to 1/2 metre but will mostly grow along the ground. They store water for later use and offer a very diverse texture to any garden.
10. Ashby's Wattle - Acacia ashbyae
A glorious form of acacia that has weeping fronds of silver-grey amassing orange blossoms at the end of winter. Most silver foliage plants have erect growing habits so this species of plant offers something very different for the home gardener. It's another West Australian native that grows to 2m high, loves full-sun and grows in very sandy or rocky soil.
11. Silver Princess - Eucalyptus caesia
While grey foliage plants are wonderful in the garden it's a great thing to find a silver tree to add some silver height to the landscape. It also has a weeping habit and looks quite scraggly in a grove of E. caesia's but as a focus plant looks incredible. It's an Australian native, originating in West Australia, that can grow up to 15m high but usually only makes it to 10m.
12. Cotton Lavender - Santolina rosmarinifolia
Originating from the south of Europe, cotton lavender, is another wonderful silver specimen. When it's not flowering profusely with yellow buttons this grey plant shrubs quite well. It's a perennial that appreciates frost-free regions and grows to about 60cm (h) with a 1m (w) spread.
13. Silver Tree - Leucadendron argenteum
If you've ever come across one of these South African natives growing in a garden then you've probably suffered some form of plant jealousy. The Silver Tree, as it is commonly known, grows upright with a very thin growing width. It is an endangered species in its natural habitat but their are many home owners in Mediterranean regions who grow these. If you're looking for a tall, columnar silver plant then this might be the option you're after.
14. French lavender - Lavandula stoechas
Who can forget the lavender family when it comes to silver foliage plants! Many of the derivations of lavender offer silver foliage and come in compact, shrubbing and rambling forms. These plants grow best where most of the other grey plants grow but are also quite frost-tolerant. They're not as water-conserving as many of their silver counterparts but they can still last well in a drought.
15. Red Carnation "Promise" - Dianthus caryophyllus
With all the wonderful options now available in silver plants one can easily overlook the "tried and true" stayers of the home garden. No other plant has lasted the test of time than the humble carnation and while they are mainly prized for their blooms they can also be treasured for the grey foliage they offer. Most plants that offer great blooms have fairly ordinary foliage but this isn't the case with this plant and it can feature in most landscapes.
16. Blue Chalk Sticks- Senecio serpens
This is quite a different senecio to the one mentioned already at #3. This is Senecio serpens and is really another succulent that hugs the ground. It doesn't tolerate frost and prefers a full-sun aspect growing to about 60cm wide. It does produce blooms in spring but they are fairly insignificant.
And there you have it - 16 more options to add some silver plants into garden and add another dimension. Happy gardening.
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Comments
Some very cool plants! The dusty millers tend to be biennial here. They usually make it one season then succumb to the cold. I'm definitely a fan of artemisia!
Posted by: Dave | April 13, 2009 9:44 PM
I love silver foliage in the garden and especially in containers. You've given us an interesting list of plants and some good ideas.
I hope you and your family had a joyful Easter celebration, Stuart.
Posted by: Anonymous | April 13, 2009 9:47 PM
These are great silver plants .. I have a few of them and supplement more with a few annuals like the Dusty Miller. I like to have my darker foliage off set by them .. and I so appreciate the fact that silver plants are more drought tolerant .. phew !! : )
Posted by: Joy | April 14, 2009 12:50 AM
I love the silver foliage! Interestingly, many CA natives go silver in the summer, then return to their green winter leaves. Two for the price of one ;->
Posted by: Town Mouse | April 14, 2009 10:11 AM
I'm a nut for Dianthus. The curry plant is really catching on here. My garden buddy Carol grows a nice sized clump and it suffered no damage from our colder than normal winter.
Santolina can take quite a bit of cold. Again, our colder than normal winter didn't faze my mature clump in the least. By the way, Santolina chamaecyparissus is the silver/gray leafed species. S. rosemariafolia, looks similar to the common rosemary with bright green foliage is also a lovely plant. Although mine really took a hit this winter, they're springing back now. (Pun intended.)
Posted by: Grace | April 14, 2009 10:59 AM
Chalk Dudleya (Dudleya pulverulenta) is native to S. California and Baja CA coastal regions. While these areas do have a Mediterranean climate (e.g., winter rains; long dry summer period) they are not what most people would think of when you say 'Mediterranean Region'. It would be great if you could note that this excellent plant is a California native.
Posted by: Constance Vadheim | May 25, 2009 11:46 PM