Characteristics
| Hardiness zone | 7b |
|---|---|
| Flower color | yellow |
| Foliage type | evergreen |
| Plant form | mounded |
| Mature height | 24 inches |
| Spread | 3 feet |
| Light requirements | full sun |
| Moisture requirements | dry to moist |
| Plant origin | import |
Curry Plant
Botanical name: Helichrysum italicum
A small, bushy evergreen shrub that produces curry scented silvery foliage topped with long lasting yellow flowers in summer; will not grow in shade and prefers some shelter.
Ornamental Features
Curry Plant is covered in stunning clusters of yellow flowers at the ends of the branches in mid summer. It has attractive silver foliage. The fuzzy narrow leaves are highly ornamental and remain silver throughout the winter. The fruit is not ornamentally significant.
Landscape Attributes
Curry Plant is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a mounded form. It lends an extremely fine and delicate texture to the landscape composition which should be used to full effect.
This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Curry Plant is recommended for the following landscape applications;
Accent, Rock/Alpine Gardens, General Garden Use, Groundcover, Container Planting
Planting and Growing
Curry Plant will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 24 inches apart. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years.
This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This species is not originally from North America. It can be propagated by cuttings.
Curry Plant makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. It can be used either as 'filler' or as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, depending on the height and form of the other plants used in the container planting. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
