Plant in full sun to light shade. Drought tolerant and cold tolerant to at least 18° F (as cold as we experienced in our December 1990 freeze) and it has been reported to us as surviving a three day cold spell with nighttime temperatures down to 10° F and daytime temperatures below freezing. It is also reported to be resistant to oak root fungus.

Phlomis fruticosa has a wide distribution from the Mediterranean islands of Sardinia, Crete, Cyprus and Malta north through Greece, Italy the area formerly called Yugoslavia, Turkey into the southern areas of the former Russian states. The name for the genus dates to the first century AD from the Greek physician Dioscorides use of the word to describe some plants in the genus and it thought to originate from the Greek word meaning "flame" because the leaves of some species were used for lamp wicks. The specific epithet is the Latin word meaning "shrubby".

We have grown several forms of this species over the years but the one we list here we purchases as a stock plant from Western Hills Nursery in Occidental, CA and have grown continuously since 1994. Some plants sold in the nursery trade are actually a hybrid that we have long called Phlomis 'Grande Verde'. 

The information about Phlomis fruticosa that is displayed on this web page is based on research conducted in our nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We will also include observations made about this plant as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens that we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We also incorporate comments that we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they share cultural information that aids others growing this plant.