Phlomis samia

Phlomis samia is a rare plant found in the undergrowth of the eastern Mediterranean. It is a superb semi-evergreen ground cover perennial that spreads slowly through its creeping rhizomes. A rosette of large hairy leaves shaped like a spade emerges in summer, giving rise to tall inflorescences with a perfectly original architecture. Each tier of reddish-brown flowers mixed with small green leaves appears to sit on a highly ornamental spiny crown. In the garden, it thrives in full sun or partial shade in a loose and well-drained soil, without worrying about competition from other plant roots. It is moderately hardy but highly resistant to summer drought.

Phlomis belongs to the family Lamiaceae. This genus, mostly of sub-Mediterranean origin, displays remarkable diversity but is rarely represented in gardens, despite the robustness and adaptability of the approximately 40 species it comprises.

Phlomis samia is a herbaceous perennial native to Greece, Turkey, and former Yugoslavia, where it generally grows in oak or pine undergrowth. The plant spreads through underground rhizomes and can eventually form large colonies. Its large, green, entire leaves arranged in regular rosettes have a fuzzy grey underside. The foliage reaches a height of 20 to 30cm (8 to 12in). From late June to late August, depending on the climate, hairy and sparsely leafed floral stems reaching 80 to 100cm (32 to 39in) in height emerge from the foliage. They bear large whorls of flowers arranged in rounded cushions, like pearls threaded along the stem and adorned with fine spiny bracts. The helmet-shaped flowers are a very soft shade, somewhere between brown and salmon pink. Even when faded, the flowers remain decorative for many months and can be used to create magnificent dried bouquets. This plant is hardy to temperatures as low as -12 to -15°C (10.4 to 5°F), in dry soil.

Unlike its shrubby cousins, Phlomis samia thrives in the partial shade of the undergrowth and prospers among the roots of trees and shrubs. It makes a good ground cover in hot and dry climates during the summer, although it can also tolerate slightly moist, but well-drained, flexible soil. It can be combined with Acanthus, periwinkles, and ivy in partial shade, as it can keep them in check. Its upright silhouette will be beautifully showcased by rounded shrubs such as wormwoods, bay trees, Myrtus communis, Phillyrea, or Mexican orange blossom. It also grows in sunny flower beds in cooler climates, alongside bellflowers, catmints, and lady's mantles.

Wild boars love the rhizomes of Phlomis samia and relish them while tilling the soil in the undergrowth of its native regions.