Plant Guide

Other Names:  syn. Cotyledon simplicifolia

Description:

A groundcover evergreen succulent with large, fleshy ovate leaves; cascading sunny yellow flower chains are draped from upright brown stalks in spring to summer; prefers part sun to bright shade; excellent for border edges, rockeries, or containers

Ornamental Features

Solar Yellow Lamb's Tail features showy chains of yellow pea-like flowers held atop the stems from mid spring to late summer. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its attractive succulent round leaves remain bluish-green in colour throughout the year. The brown stems can be quite attractive.

Landscape Attributes

Solar Yellow Lamb's Tail is an herbaceous evergreen perennial with tall flower stalks held atop a low mound of foliage. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Solar Yellow Lamb's Tail is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• General Garden Use
• Groundcover
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Solar Yellow Lamb's Tail will grow to be only 4 inches tall at maturity extending to 8 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 12 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 10 inches apart. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years. As an evegreen perennial, this plant will typically keep its form and foliage year-round.

This plant does best in partial shade to shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Solar Yellow Lamb's Tail is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers and foliage against which the larger thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden. Be aware that in our climate, this plant may be too tender to survive the winter if left outdoors in a container. Contact our experts for more information on how to protect it over the winter months.