A mounding, woody-based perennial grown for its finely cut, silvery foliage rather than its flowers. It gives a soft, cool contrast against green shrubs and bright blooms, and it holds up well in poor, dry soil.
Living with it in the Phoenix Valley
Watering
Follow the shrub schedule in our Landscape Care guide. It prefers the lean side: overwatering makes it rangy and floppy, and it needs soil that drains well.
Pruning
Cut it back hard in late winter, before new growth starts, to keep it full and mounded. Left alone, it tends to open up and turn woody.
Heat
It handles Phoenix sun, though a little afternoon shade in midsummer keeps the foliage from looking tired.
How our designers use it
Silver contrast
Its pale foliage makes red, purple and blue flowers stand out, and it brightens beds of dark green shrubs.
Soft texture among succulents
The feathery mounds soften the bold forms of agave and yucca.
Banks and borders
It covers slopes, berms and the front of borders quickly, holding a tidy mound with light care.
Good to know
Around the pool
No thorns and little litter, so it works well in pool areas. The foliage gives off a strong herbal scent when brushed.
