Helichrysum heldreichii

Common name(s): rockrose

Description: evergreen shrub; endemic to cliffsides in West Crete. Compact, rounded growth with linear gray foliage that sometimes looks "too gray to still be alive" and yellow flower clusters in summer.  Longer-lived in very lean, gritty soils with little to no supplemental irrigation. Rare in cultivation.

Height: to 2 ft. Spread: to 2 ft.

Position: full sun and lean, well-draining soil

Uses: ornamental-firescaping, landscaping

Winter Hardiness: to 10 F and below

Drought: adapted to 5 months of summer drought

Distribution: W. Crete