Fruity Germander
- Scientific Name: Teucrium cossonii
- Garden: Beneficial Insects and Compost Garden
- Plant Type: Shrub
- Evergreen/Deciduous: Evergreen
- Sun/Shade Exposure: Full Sun or Part Shade
- Moisture Requirements: Moist, Well-Drained
Plant Information
A member of the mint family (Lamiaceae, that also includes lavender and salvia), Teucrium is a fairly large genus of evergreen shrubs and subshrubs that includes species ranging from low perennial tufts to the nearly 8-ft. tall bush germander. All species are fairly drought tolerant and thrive in heat, in poor or rocky soils, and in other difficult situations. In rich garden loam, they may become lush and somewhat rangy. They take full sun to part shade, like well-drained soil, and are deer resistant. They can be left to develop a casual, natural shape or be sheared into formal topiaries or hedges.Teucrium cossonii majoricum (syn. T. majoricum), called fruity germander for its foliage scent when crushed, is lower yet as it forms a loose tussock about 6 in. high spreading 1-3 ft. wide with small grayish green leaves on wiry stems. It may be used in masses as a non-invasive, slowly spreading groundcover for sunny sites where it attracts bees. Lavender-purple flowers cover the surface from spring into summer. After they fade to a rusty brown, flowers can be sheared for a re-bloom and mounds reduced by half to control shape. Only occasional irrigation is needed.
Data Source
UC MG Program of Sonoma CountyPlant Photos
