False yellowhead
Dittrichia viscosa
A sticky, aromatic pioneer subshrub that races into bare, poor ground and shelters beneficial insects for natural pest control. Handy soil first-aid, but self-seeds hard and can suppress neighbours.
False yellowhead in a syntropic line
False yellowhead belongs in the Shrub layer as a Placenta species. Support species, fruit, and nitrogen fixers under the canopy. Rough in-row spacing starts around 0.7 m in a syntropic row. Good line partners include Carob tree, Casuarina, Common sage. As a Placenta species it establishes fast, then gets cut back or phased out as longer-lived layers take over.
Tolerances and growing conditions
- Strata
- Shrub
- Lifecycle
- Placenta
- Soil preference
- Rocky, Sandy
- Soil pH range
- 6 – 8.5
- Min. temperature
- -7°C
- Min. rainfall
- 350 mm/year
- Wind tolerance
- High
- Frost tolerance
- Medium
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Irrigation needed
- Low
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Waterlogging tolerance
- Low
- Origin
- Mediterranean
- Native to Portugal
- Yes
How to manage it
Woody-based ruderal subshrub that colonises bare, disturbed ground fast and hosts beneficial insects; slash before seed set to stop it dominating the line.
How to propagate
Sow seed in spring or take softwood cuttings in summer — both germinate and root readily in a pioneer subshrub.
Guidance, not a guarantee — success varies by species and skill.
What to watch out for
Sticky, strongly aromatic and mildly irritant to skin/airways; shows allelopathic suppression of neighbouring seedlings and self-seeds aggressively, becoming a weed outside its native range.
Frequently asked questions about False yellowhead
Is false yellowhead frost-hardy?
Yes for winter cold in many climates — generally hardy to around -7°C when dormant, with medium frost tolerance in the catalog. Flowering crops can still lose a season to late frost, so site them carefully.
What soil does false yellowhead need?
It does best on rocky, sandy ground, at pH about 6–8.5.
How much water does false yellowhead need?
Plan for a rainfall floor around 350 mm/year, plus low irrigation once established.
Can false yellowhead handle wet or waterlogged soil?
Poorly — false yellowhead has low waterlogging tolerance, so keep it off winter-wet clay and standing water.
What should I watch out for with false yellowhead?
Sticky, strongly aromatic and mildly irritant to skin/airways; shows allelopathic suppression of neighbouring seedlings and self-seeds aggressively, becoming a weed outside its native range.
False yellowhead in soil templates
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