SIDERITIS cypria

Description

Sideritis cypria

Height x Spread: 50cm x 40cm

A rather quirky perennial from Cyprus which may surprise you.  Its foliage is bushy, silver-grey and felted rather like an upright Stachys byzantina, similar to many plants that come from such a hot dry climate.  But in late spring something extraordinary happens.  Eye-dazzlingly bright lime coloured broad stems start to emerge - these are in fact overlapping calyces or the protective covering to buds, not dissimilar in looks to armour.  As the stem grows it forms more branched stems like a candelabra which then all slowly open to reveal bright yellow flowers arranged round a slender brown stem. 

The contrast in colour and form is amazing and will definitely be a talking point in your garden.  A fantastic specimen plant for a sunny, free draining gravel garden, perhaps in combination with Sempervivum or Euphorbia x martini 'Ascot Rainbow', if your soil is too heavy make room for it in a container on a sunny terrace.