Leucophyta brownii - Cushion Bush

Leucophyta brownii is a decorative shrub with its silvery grey foliage reduced to small scales pressed against slender stems. The vegetation of this plant is bright, and particularly architectural. Spontaneously adopting a sprawling cushion habit, it flowers in summer, with small white to yellow heads slightly rising above the mass of foliage. This is a tender species. It should be planted in a pot, to be sheltered indoors during winter. 

Formerly known as Calocephalus brownii, this shrub native to Australia belongs to the large family of Asteraceae (formerly Compositae), as its flower heads may suggest. The genus Leucophyta comprises only one species, L. brownii, native to the southern coast of Australia.
It is a shrub perfectly adapted to dry conditions due to its leaves reduced to simple scales to minimise evaporation through transpiration. Moreover, both the leaves and stems are covered with hairs that further increase their resistance to drought (by reducing the drying effect of the wind, which cannot directly reach the leaf cuticle due to this fluffy mat). The stems and leaves have a superb silvery grey colour that reflects light - yet another adaptation to the arid natural medium - adding to the style of the plant.
Leucophyta grows slowly and forms a cushion wider than it is tall, generally not exceeding 80 cm in height. In summer, it produces heads, which are inflorescences composed of tiny clustered flowers (hence the former name of the family, the Compositae). Ranging in colour from white to yellow, these heads resemble small spheres only 2 to 3 cm in diameter and are only moderately decorative. This is why some enthusiasts prefer to sacrifice them by regularly pruning the plant into a dome shape to enhance its architectural appearance. This also helps prevent the stems from elongating too much, which can sometimes cause them to splay outwards, creating a void in the centre of the plant. Leucophyta is indeed more an ornamental foliage plant than a true flowering plant.
This not very hardy leucophyta can only withstand light frosts of short duration, at most -5 °C if placed in good conditions. This shrub is highly resistant to sea spray, which is not surprising given its excellent adaptation to dry conditions (salty air has the same effect as drought). However, it absolutely cannot tolerate excess water, which causes the collar to rot.  Everywhere but in very mild climates, it should be planted in a pot to be brought indoors into a bright and frost-free location during winter (hence the interest of annual pruning to keep it compact). It should then be kept dry, with infrequent and well-spaced watering. 

Leucophyta brownii can only be cultivated in open ground in very mild climates where it can be planted alongside other exotic plants, such as Grevillea Poorinda Rondeau, a small evergreen dark green shrub with magnificent pink-red flowering that lasts for several months. Planted in the background of the Leucophyta, it will provide a dark backdrop that will further highlight its grey foliage. Lantana Chapel Hill Yellow, a relatively hardy variety, will also be a good companion with its similarly dark green foliage and its round orange-yellow flowers that will take over from those of the Grevillea.