Selago spp.

bitterbushes

Scrophulariaceae

Southern Africa, centered in the Cape Floristic Region

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Drought Tolerant Container Friendly

SunFull Sun

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 9–11

Overview

Selago is a genus of roughly 150 to 190 species of evergreen shrubs, subshrubs, and perennials in the family Scrophulariaceae, concentrated in southern Africa and especially the Cape region. Most plants are small, wiry-stemmed shrublets 0.5-5 ft (15-150 cm) tall, clothed in tiny narrow heath-like leaves often clustered on short side shoots. Numerous small tubular flowers gather into dense terminal heads or spikes in white, pink, mauve, or pale blue, each bloom only 0.1-0.2 in (2-5 mm) across but massed into a finely textured display. Flowering occurs mainly from spring into summer. The genus grows on sandy and rocky slopes, fynbos, and grassland, where many species withstand wind, poor soils, and seasonal drought. Several species are grown as ground-covering or border plants in mild climates, while a few have naturalized as weeds outside their native range. Plants are generally frost-sensitive and grow outdoors in USDA zones 9 to 11. Foliage is held year-round in frost-free conditions. The small flowers draw bees, butterflies, and other insects.

Native Range

Selago is native to southern Africa, with the greatest concentration of species in the Cape Floristic Region of South Africa, extending into tropical Africa. Plants occur in fynbos, grassland, and on sandy or rocky slopes.

Suggested Uses

Selago species are planted as low border, rockery, and ground-covering plants in dry and coastal gardens with mild winters. The massed flower heads suit pollinator plantings. Container culture lets the genus be grown in regions too cold for outdoor planting.

How to Identify

Identify Selago by its small heath-like leaves, often bundled on short shoots along wiry stems, and dense rounded or spike-like heads of tiny tubular flowers. Blooms appear in white, pink, mauve, or pale blue. The crowded flower heads and ericoid foliage resemble some Erica species, but the tubular two-lipped flowers place Selago in the figwort family.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height6" - 5'

Width/Spread1' - 3'

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~8 weeks

Spring Summer

Flowering runs mainly from spring into summer, with timing shifting by species and climate. Dense flower heads open over several weeks. In frost-free gardens some species bloom across a longer season.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

white, pink, mauve, or blue

Foliage Description

green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun

Requires 6-10 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

sand loam rocky

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

tender

Time to Maturity

1-2 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Selago species grow in full sun in light, free-draining sandy or gravelly soil with a pH near 5.5 to 7.0. They tolerate nutrient-poor ground, wind, and seasonal drought once established. Most are frost-sensitive and grow outdoors in USDA zones 9 to 11; in colder areas they are kept in containers and sheltered over winter. Sharp drainage is important, as the roots rot in wet, heavy soil. Light shearing after flowering keeps the shrublets compact. Plants are generally short-lived and are renewed from cuttings or seed every few years.

Pruning

Light shearing after the main bloom keeps plants dense and may bring a second flush of flowers. Leggy or woody stems are cut back in spring, though hard pruning into old wood is avoided as recovery is slow. Spent heads can be trimmed to limit self-seeding.