Crambe cordifolia
Colewort, Heart leaf colewort
- Height × spread
- 2m × 1.2m
- Position
- Full sun
- Hardiness
- Cold to -15C (RHS H5)
- Flowers
- Spring, Summer
Availability
Please ask in store about availability
Many plants are seasonal. Call 01234 567890 to check current stock.
About this plant
This is an interesting plant with big, cabbage-like, lobed leaves and an immense frothy cloud of starry, honey scented flowers that appear in summer but do not last long. The inflorescence is enormous, reaching up to 2m (7ft), in comparison to the basic foliage mound, which achieves a discrete 35cm (14in) or so. The plant dies down after flowering and you should hasten the process by trimming off the flowers and leaves as they can smell horrible! It's best grown behind plants in the border tall enough to hide the gap created by its die back.
- Flower colour
- White
- Foliage colour
- Green
- Variegated
- No
- Scent
- Yes, honey-almond
- Shape
- Dome
- Height
- 2m
- Spread
- 1.2m
- Season of interest
- Summer
- Flowers in
- Spring, Summer
- Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Garden style
- Seaside garden, Scented garden, Prairie garden, Gravel garden, Exotic garden
- Sun or shade
- Likes full sun, tolerates part shade
- Soil type
- Clay, Loam (normal), Poor soil
- Soil pH
- All types
- Drainage
- Moisture retentive soil, Well drained soil, Dry soil, Drought resistant
- Hardiness
- Cold to -15C (RHS H5)
- Borders & containers
- Borders
- Use for
- Bee attraction
- Hazards
- No
- Pet safe
- Yes – listed in our pet-safe plants
Spring
Spring - late · Outdoors
Feed with slow release fertiliser
Apply a general purpose slow release fertiliser, spreading it around the root area of the plant as it is coming into growth. (Or apply a liquid feed at regular intervals throughout the growing season.)
This is a simple way to provide a nutrient boost as a single annual procedure.
Spring-Autumn · Outdoors
Water in dry periods
Established plants in the ground can cope with 7-10 days of dryness, and shrubs often manage 2 to 3 weeks. Water one section of the garden thoroughly each day rather than a little everywhere. Check plants in pots more often, especially in hot weather.
Spring - early-mid · Planting
Divide when too large
The plant can be divided if it becomes too large or another plant is required. This may involve physically dividing the clump in two, removing offsets or small bulbs or dividing rhizomes. The new plants can be grown in pots or planted in the ground.