Teucrium chamaedrys Wild Form - Germander

Teucrium chamaedrys in its wild form is an excellent perennial for dry soil and is commonly called the Germander. The plant has a rather spreading habit, it spreads through suckers, its branches are more or less erect or prostrate. Its summer flowering is long, in clusters of pink flowers with purple bracts. Hardy and drought resistant, requiring very little maintenance, this germander is ideal in rock gardens and allows for beautiful borders without watering.

Teucrium chamaedrys is a perennial plant, woody at the base, belonging to the family Lamiaceae, like thyme and sage. Arid places, especially limestone, in central and southern Europe, western Asia, and North Africa are the birthplaces of this botanical species which is very easy to acclimatise in the garden. It quickly forms bushy and dense clumps, reaching between 20 and 30 cm (8 and 12in) in height. The plant spreads slowly through its rhizomes and rooting stems that root upon contact with the ground. The foliage is mostly evergreen in winter, except in very cold regions. It consists of small ovate or oblong leaves, strongly crenate, veined, somewhat leathery, hairy or glabrescent, and which are shiny above and greyer beneath. Their shape is reminiscent of oak leaves. The long flowering period extends from May-June to September. The flowers are very small, bilabiate, grouped in whorls on the upper part of the leafy stems.

This lovely low shrub for rock gardens and poor soils is perfectly adapted to drought. It dislikes heavy and wet soils. Create an evergreen group by combining this Germander with the foliage and scents of rockroses, cotton lavenders, lavenders, rosemarys, thymes, and other oreganos. Add California poppies and drought-tolerant euphorbias for some dynamism in your composition. The Germander, like cotton lavenders, tolerates pruning very well. It is even essential to maintain a very compact habit and promote flowering. For example, they can be planted together along the pathways, kept as low hedges.