Nevin’s Sunflower/Catalina Silverlace – Constancea/ Eriophyllum nevinii (con STAN-see-uh nev-IN-ee-eye)

Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)

Native to: S. Channel Islands (Santa Barbara, Santa Catalina, San Clemente Islands); rocky coastal

bluffs, coastal sage scrub.

Growth characteristics: semi-woody shrub mature height: 2-4 ft. mature width: 2-4 ft.

Mounded shrub with white/gray lacy foliage. Branches herbaceous, arising from a woody stem. Young growth covered with dense white hairs. Looks like an elegant ‘Dusty Miller’. Widely available cultivar

‘Canyon Silver’ comes from Santa Barbara Channel Islands.

Blooms/fruits: Blooms April-Aug. Flowers are golden-yellow in clusters above the foliage. Seed heads

turn attractive dark brown in fall.

Uses in the garden: Small size makes it good as foundation plant or for mid-bed in mixed flower beds.

Looks great in a silver garden, and wonderful accent with other shrubs. Works well with other Channel

Island natives such as Ceanothus leucodermis, Epilobium ‘Catalina’, Eriogonum giganteum, and Romneya coulteri. Relatively deer tolerant and good for fire-prone areas.

Sensible substitute for: Non-native Dusty Millers, Lavender Cotton (Santolina), white-foliage shrubs

Attracts: Excellent nectar source for bees and butterflies.

Requirements:

Element Requirement

Sun Full sun (best) to part-shade

Soil Any well-drained

Water Low needs once established; needs no summer water in coastal gardens

Fertilizer Low needs

Other

Management: For a dense plant with good form it is best to give a hard pruning in late fall or winter as

new growth emerges.

Propagation: from seed: probably by cuttings: semi-soft wood cuttings of new growth in summer/fall

Plant/seed sources (see list for source numbers): 1-3, 8, 11, 13, 14, 24 8/8/14 © Project SOUND

Constancea nevinii – Catalina Silverlace