Mature size & growth rate

How big does Silverbush (Convolvulus cneorum) get?

Also called Silverbush, Bush morning glory, Shrubby bindweed.

More about silverbush

About Silverbush

Convolvulus cneorum · also called Silverbush, Bush morning glory · flowering

Convolvulus cneorum is a compact, evergreen Mediterranean shrub native to rocky limestone hillsides of the western Mediterranean basin, prized for its intensely silvery, silky foliage and a long succession of white funnel-shaped flowers flushed pink in bud. It must have full sun and sharp drainage — poor drainage, especially combined with winter wet, is the most common cause of death. Keep it in low-fertility soil to maintain compactness and vigour. It is not considered toxic to pets or humans.

Mature size: 50–100 cm tall and 50–100 cm wide over 5–10 years.

Indoor size vs how big it gets in the wild

Silverbush grows into a room-scaled plant of roughly 50–100 cm tall and 50–100 cm wide over 5–10 years. — bigger than a tabletop plant, but not a tree. Indoors and in a pot, expect 50–100 cm tall and 50–100 cm wide over 5–10 years.. A pot, your light levels and a little pruning are what set the final size in a home, far more than the plant's theoretical potential.

It builds steadily in both height and spread to a medium, manageable size, filling a pot and a corner over a few years.

Growth rate and years to mature

Silverbush is a moderate grower. Realistically, expect three to six years to reach mature indoor size, gaining a steady amount each growing season. Its feeding profile backs this up: a light dressing of a low-nitrogen, balanced fertiliser in early spring is sufficient; avoid high-nitrogen feeds that promote soft growth.

Want this turned into the right next pot at the right moment? The pot size calculator and the silverbush repotting guide cover when and how much to size up — pot size is one of the biggest levers on how fast silverbush grows.

How to keep silverbush smaller

You are not stuck with the maximum size. For silverbush specifically, these are the levers, in order of impact:

Prune the tallest or longest growth back to a node to hold silverbush at the size you want.
Keep it slightly pot-bound and feed sparingly to cap the overall size.
Remove the largest or oldest leaves to keep the footprint in check.

How to grow silverbush bigger or faster

If you want it to fill the space sooner, push the conditions rather than hoping — for silverbush the accelerators are:

It already has good light; a yearly pot-up plus spring-summer feeding drives the fastest growth.
Pot up a size every year or two while it is establishing.
Feed and water consistently through the growing season for steady, faster size gain.

Light is almost always the ceiling. The silverbush light requirements page covers exactly how bright a spot it needs to grow at its potential instead of stalling.

When silverbush outgrows the room (or the pot)

"Too big" usually arrives as one of these signs for silverbush:

It crowds the shelf or corner it lives in and starts leaning for light.
Roots circling the pot base or escaping the drainage holes.
It needs a noticeably bigger pot every year — a sign to pot up, divide, or prune.

If it is the pot rather than the room, it is a repotting job, not a goodbye — see the silverbush repotting guide. If you want more of this plant instead of a bigger one, the silverbush propagation guide turns prunings into new plants.

Silverbush size — frequently asked questions

How big does silverbush get?

Silverbush reaches 50–100 cm tall and 50–100 cm wide over 5–10 years. when grown indoors. It builds steadily in both height and spread to a medium, manageable size, filling a pot and a corner over a few years.

Is silverbush slow or fast growing?

Silverbush is a moderate grower. Expect three to six years to reach mature indoor size, gaining a steady amount each growing season. Silverbush grows into a room-scaled plant of roughly 50–100 cm tall and 50–100 cm wide over 5–10 years. — bigger than a tabletop plant, but not a tree.

How long does silverbush take to reach full size?

Roughly three to six years to reach mature indoor size, gaining a steady amount each growing season. Light, pot size and feeding move that timeline more than anything else.

How do I keep silverbush smaller?

Prune the tallest or longest growth back to a node to hold silverbush at the size you want. Keep it slightly pot-bound and feed sparingly to cap the overall size. Remove the largest or oldest leaves to keep the footprint in check.

How can I make silverbush grow bigger or faster?

It already has good light; a yearly pot-up plus spring-summer feeding drives the fastest growth. Pot up a size every year or two while it is establishing. Feed and water consistently through the growing season for steady, faster size gain.