Teucrium hyrcanicum - IRANIAN GERMANDER ("PURPLE TAILS")
Perennial with long purple-red spikes. Reminds of Veronica, but is more heat and humidity tolerant. Slightly aromatic leaves deter deer and rabbits.
Medicinal used in the past - respiratory troubles,digestion, and an anti-inflammatory use. Essential oil offers antimicrobial properties.
Usually not super long-lived (all depends on the drainage), but will persists by moderate self-seeding.
Best in sunny garden and drained soils.
Blooming Time: usually July/August to early September, with the peak in full summer
Size: 1.5-2' tall tall x 0.75-1' wide, stays in clumps. Partially evergreen, depending on your zone.
USDA Zones: 5-9, but hardiness is influenced by the drainage, with sharp drainage probably hardy to zone 4/5
Culture: sun, half shade, prefers drained to well drained soil with average moisture (medium) to medium-dry. Established plants are drought tolerant. Average, sandy, rocky, gritty soils. Avoid waterlogged soils!
Moisture Needs: medium (average), medium-dry to dry. We do grow it quite successfully on a bit heavier soils, that were amended with coarse sand.
Origin: Iran, Caucasus
Deer/Rabbit Resistant: yes / yes
Attracts Butterflies or Pollinators: we haven't fully trialed it here in Indiana, but since it is Mint family plant, flowers should attract bees (native and honeybees) and possibly some butterflies. Definitely pollinator friendly plant.
Attracts Hummingbirds: possibly yes , we need to verify this summer
Plant Combinations: Flower beds with drier or drained soil, rock garden, bigger crevice gardens, herb gardens. Good with Echinacea, Achillea, Agastache, Amsonia, summer blooming Allium, Asclepias tuberosa, Aster, Baptisia, Calamintha, Coreopsis, Gaura, Knautia, Liatris, Monarda, Nepeta, Oenothera, Penstemons, Platycodon, Pycnanthemu tenuifolium, smaller Rudbeckia, Salvia nemorosa hybrids, tall Sedum, Solidago, Stachys, Vernonia lettermannii, taller Veronica, Yucca, and grasses like Bouteloa, Muhlenbergia, Sporobolus, Schizachyrium scoparium, Sorghastrum or shorter Panicum.
Pot Size: square 3.5" x 4" deep perennial pot
Picture Copyright: US Perennials
Teucrium hyrcanicum - IRANIAN GERMANDER ("PURPLE TAILS")
Perennial with long purple-red spikes. Reminds of Veronica, but is more heat and humidity tolerant. Slightly aromatic leaves deter deer and rabbits.
Medicinal used in the past - respiratory troubles,digestion, and an anti-inflammatory use. Essential oil offers antimicrobial properties.
Usually not super long-lived (all depends on the drainage), but will persists by moderate self-seeding.
Best in sunny garden and drained soils.
Blooming Time: usually July/August to early September, with the peak in full summer
Size: 1.5-2' tall tall x 0.75-1' wide, stays in clumps. Partially evergreen, depending on your zone.
USDA Zones: 5-9, but hardiness is influenced by the drainage, with sharp drainage probably hardy to zone 4/5
Culture: sun, half shade, prefers drained to well drained soil with average moisture (medium) to medium-dry. Established plants are drought tolerant. Average, sandy, rocky, gritty soils. Avoid waterlogged soils!
Moisture Needs: medium (average), medium-dry to dry. We do grow it quite successfully on a bit heavier soils, that were amended with coarse sand.
Origin: Iran, Caucasus
Deer/Rabbit Resistant: yes / yes
Attracts Butterflies or Pollinators: we haven't fully trialed it here in Indiana, but since it is Mint family plant, flowers should attract bees (native and honeybees) and possibly some butterflies. Definitely pollinator friendly plant.
Attracts Hummingbirds: possibly yes , we need to verify this summer
Plant Combinations: Flower beds with drier or drained soil, rock garden, bigger crevice gardens, herb gardens. Good with Echinacea, Achillea, Agastache, Amsonia, summer blooming Allium, Asclepias tuberosa, Aster, Baptisia, Calamintha, Coreopsis, Gaura, Knautia, Liatris, Monarda, Nepeta, Oenothera, Penstemons, Platycodon, Pycnanthemu tenuifolium, smaller Rudbeckia, Salvia nemorosa hybrids, tall Sedum, Solidago, Stachys, Vernonia lettermannii, taller Veronica, Yucca, and grasses like Bouteloa, Muhlenbergia, Sporobolus, Schizachyrium scoparium, Sorghastrum or shorter Panicum.
Pot Size: square 3.5" x 4" deep perennial pot
Picture Copyright: US Perennials