Convovulus cneorum

Description

Convolvulus cneorum – silverbush

Botanical name: Convolvulus cneorum
Common names: Silverbush, shrubby bindweed
Family: Convolvulaceae
Plant type: Evergreen sub-shrub
Habit: Compact, rounded, bushy
Pot size: 2–3 litre pot
Eventual size: Approx. 40–60cm tall × 60cm spread
Foliage: Narrow, silky, silvery-grey leaves that shimmer in the light; evergreen
Flowers: Pink-tinged buds opening to white funnel-shaped flowers with yellow centres, over a long period from late spring into summer (May–August)
Scent: Not notably scented
Aspect / light: Full sun
Soil: Sharply drained; poor, dry, gritty; dislikes wet; any pH
Hardiness: RHS H4 (hardy, to about −10°C); best with sharp drainage and shelter; USDA zones 8–10
Exposure: Warm, sheltered, sunny; good coastal
Native range: Native to the Mediterranean
Toxicity / pet & child safety: Generally considered non-toxic to people and pets

Convolvulus cneorum, silverbush, is a compact evergreen with beautiful shimmering silvery foliage and white, yellow-centred funnel flowers from pink buds. Superb for hot, dry, sunny spots and coastal gardens.

GardenAdvice notes

A lovely compact evergreen sub-shrub, silverbush is grown for its beautiful silky, shimmering silver foliage, which looks good all year, and for its long succession of white funnel-shaped flowers, opening from pretty pink buds with a yellow eye. A sun-loving Mediterranean plant, it thrives in hot, dry, sharply drained spots and is superb in gravel gardens, sunny borders and coastal gardens — but it must have excellent drainage, as it hates winter wet.

Growing & planting

Plant in spring in sharply drained, poor, gritty soil in full sun, in a warm, sheltered spot — it demands excellent drainage and dislikes cold, wet, heavy ground, which is its main enemy. Improve heavy soil with plenty of grit, or grow it in a pot. Ideal for gravel and coastal gardens. Water sparingly.

Care & maintenance

Low-maintenance. Trim lightly after flowering to keep it neat and bushy, but avoid cutting hard into the old, bare wood. Water only while establishing, then very sparingly — overwatering and winter wet are the main causes of failure. Keep it dry, especially over winter. In cold gardens, a pot that can be sheltered is safest.

Propagation

• Cuttings: Take semi-ripe cuttings in summer.

Pests & diseases

Generally trouble-free in a hot, dry, sharply drained spot. Its main enemy by far is wet, heavy soil and overwatering, which cause root rot. Otherwise little troubled by pests.

Uses in the garden

Superb in gravel and Mediterranean-style gardens, hot dry sunny borders, coastal gardens, and containers, where its shimmering silver foliage and white flowers bring year-round light and contrast.

Wildlife value

The flowers attract bees and other pollinating insects, and the silver foliage is generally left alone by browsing animals.

Toxicity & safety

Silverbush is generally regarded as non-toxic to people and pets, and — despite being a relative of bindweed — is a well-behaved shrub, not an invasive weed.

GardenAdvice tip

Silverbush is a beautiful silver-leaved evergreen for the hottest, driest, sunniest, sharpest-draining spot you have — a gravel garden or a pot is ideal. The single most important thing is drainage: it dies from wet, not cold, so keep it lean and dry, water sparingly, and never let it sit in soggy winter soil. Don’t worry about the bindweed connection — this one is a tidy shrub, not a thug.

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