Perennial • $6, 4-inch pot
Height | 2 to 3 ft |
Spacing | 1.5 to 2 ft |
Sun Exposure | Part Sun to Light Shade |
Soil Moisture | Medium to Medium Dry |
Bloom Color | Purple |
Bloom Time | July, Aug, Sept |
Companion Plantings | Wood Sedge, Yellow Pimpernel |
Special Attributes |
Scutellaria incana
This tough plant is regarded as the showiest of its genus, with large clusters of purple-white flowers that bloom for many weeks in mid-summer. Hoary Skullcap is a member of the mint family but does not have scented foliage; however, the foliage is similarly toxic and bitter and thus avoided by mammalian herbivores. The deep green and toothed foliage is also attractive and this plant is tolerant of both drought and clay soil, and should be used in cultivation more.
This plant’s primary pollinators are bumblebees, but wasps, skippers, and small butterflies are also known to visit the flowers. This plant spreads via seed and rhizomes and can form small colonies via the latter. Hoary Skullcap is found in open woods, shaded meadows, and woodland edges and roadsides. This plant prefers light shade to part sun but can adapt to full sun as long as the soil is kept moist.
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