Some plants beg to be touched. This is one of them. Cottony Saltbush, also known as Cottony Goosefoot, is a small, spreading evergreen shrub with slender branches that curve gracefully downwards, reaching up to 1 metre in height and width. Its small, triangular to shovel-shaped leaves are densely covered in tiny, white, rounded hairs, giving the entire plant a soft, silvery-grey, cottony feel. In spring and summer, small, inconspicuous flower spikes droop delicately from the branches, followed by a hidden treasure: small, fleshy red berries that ripen to a bright, glistening orange—a surprising pop of colour that attracts birds.
This tough Australian native hails from semi-arid and arid regions of southern Australia and has proven wonderfully suited to the Western Cape’s Mediterranean climate, especially gardens with hot, dry summers and well-drained soils. It thrives in full sun, which encourages the densest, most silvery growth. It’s unfussy about soil, growing happily in most well-drained types, including sandy, loamy, and even poor, rocky, or lime-rich soils. Once established, it’s exceptionally drought-tolerant, handles coastal winds and salt spray with ease, and tolerates light to moderate frost. Reaching 0.5–1m tall and wide, it’s perfect for rockeries, coastal gardens, mass plantings as groundcover, or as a soft, silvery accent in mixed borders.
Key Features:
- Small, triangular leaves covered in dense, white, cottony hairs for a unique, tactile, silvery-grey presence
- Fleshy berries ripen from red to bright, glistening orange—attracts fruit-eating birds
- Exceptionally drought-tolerant once established; thrives in poor, sandy, rocky, and calcareous soils
- Handles coastal winds and salt spray with ease; ideal for rockeries and water-wise gardens
Gardening Note: Plant in full sun in well-drained soil. Tolerates poor, sandy, rocky, and calcareous soils. Water regularly until established; once mature, it’s highly drought-tolerant and needs little additional water. Prune lightly in late winter or early spring to maintain a neat shape and encourage dense, bushy growth. Easily propagated from seed or cuttings.
