Lakeshore Garden Centres Plant Finder

Other Names:  Laceleaf Green Rabbitbrush, Douglas Rabbitbrush

Description:

This shrub produces bright golden-yellow flowers from early summer to fall; grassy narrow leaves grace an open and airy habit; cut back to several inches in spring to increase ornamental value; tough and drought tolerant, can be used for erosion control

Ornamental Features

Yellow Rabbitbrush is covered in stunning clusters of yellow tubular flowers with gold overtones at the ends of the branches from mid summer to early fall. It has grayish green foliage with hints of silver. The grassy leaves do not develop any appreciable fall colour. The gray stems can be quite attractive.

Landscape Attributes

Yellow Rabbitbrush is an open multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with a mounded form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It is a good choice for attracting birds, bees and butterflies to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Yellow Rabbitbrush is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• General Garden Use
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Yellow Rabbitbrush will grow to be about 30 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 30 inches apart. It has a low canopy. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years.

This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. This plant does not require much in the way of fertilizing once established. It is particular about its soil conditions, with a strong preference for sandy, alkaline soils, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is native to parts of North America. It can be propagated by division.

Yellow Rabbitbrush makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also 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, most plants cannot be expected to survive the winter if left in containers outdoors, and this plant is no exception. Contact our experts for more information on how to protect it over the winter months.