Phlomis cashmeriana Royle ex Bentham
Hook., Bot. Misc. 3:382 (1833)
Illustr.: Bot. Reg. 30:22 (1844)

Synonym:P. dichroa K.H. Rechinger

Misident.: P. cashmeriana Royle misapplied in The New RHS Dictionary

Distribution in the wild:
Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kashmir

cashmeriana means of Kashmir.

One of the most admired species, this has long narrow leaves, green above and silver beneath. The flowers in bud are spectacular with their speckled appearance and the flower colour is lilac. Quite variable in nature.

Autumn cuttings root OK, but find it difficult to survive the winter in small pots. Therefore propagate in Spring.                       

Herbaceous perennial to 90 cm. Woody base. Basal leaf laminas long and narrow, dark green above and silvery white beneath, often with an unsymmetrical truncate base, 10-30 × 2-8 cm; petiole 10-15 cm. Plant woody at base and leaves may persist through mild winters. Floral leaves 5-12 × 1.6-4.1 cm; petiole 1-1.5 cm. White woolly stems 40-80 cm, unbranched (occasionally branched), bearing 1-3 whorls with many flowers. Whorls 5- 8 cm across.  Bracteoles numerous, ciliate, to 22 × 2 mm, divergent. Calyx c. 18 mm with teeth to 9 mm. Besides the short stellate hairs, the bracteoles, calyx ribs and teeth have long multicellular hairs with swollen purple bases, which give the whorls a unique speckled appearance especially in the bud stage (hardly visible in dried specimens). Corolla to 20-30 mm, upper lip pale lilac, lower lip purple.  Hardy to -10°C.