About
A strong perennial, 3-4m high in flower, forming a mound of aromatic, delicately cut leaves that are lime green above and silvery beneath. Stout, branching grey-green stems, often flushed with purple, bear many rounded clusters of small yellow flowers in early to mid summer.
About the genus
Ferula are striking, large tap-rooted herbaceous perennials with big, pinnately divided leaves and compound umbels of small white, yellow or purple flowers; may die after flowering
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun
Soil typeChalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureWell-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing
ExposureExposed, Sheltered
UK hardinessH3
Plant details
Plant typeHerbaceous Perennial
HabitColumnar upright
FoliageDeciduous
Height2.5-4 metres
Spread0.5-1 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesArchitectural, Cottage and informal garden, Gravel garden, Mediterranean climate plants, Wildlife gardens
Native toMed. to Arabian Pen.
FragranceFoliage
Care notes
CultivationGrow in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun; protect with a dry, bracken mulch in winter. May take some years to flower. Plants sometimes die after seeding
PruningTo enhance foliage, remove flowering stems as soon as they appear, or after blooming if seed is not required
PropagationPropagate by seed, sown in pots in a cold frame as soon as ripe. Prick out seedlings into deep pots to allow tap root to develop
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to aphids and slugs
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to downy mildews