The Daily Garden
  • Home
  • Garden Word of the Day
  • Monthly Chores
  • DIY Chickens

Garden Word of the Day

Germander

11/10/2016

0 Comments

 
Germander is a rugged, woody, fragrant variety of plant from the mint family.


If you are looking for a handsome, drought tolerant plant that can grow in pretty much any soil, consider germander. Full sun, partial sun, clay soil - germander doesn’t seem to care. And the deer leave it alone!


Germander actually refers to an entire genus of plants called Teucrium. These plants are from the Mediterranean and eastern Europe. They grow wild in poor, rocky soil, so our California clay and drought are no problem.
Picture

There are several varieties of germander to choose from:

  • Bush germander (Teucrium fruiticans) - 3 - 8’ tall, silvery foliage, purple flowers
  • Creeping or American germander (T. canadense) - very low growing (4”), rapidly spreading, pink or pale lavender flowers, tufted leaves
  • Fruity or Pineapple germander (T. cossonii majoricum) - 12” high, slower growing and non-invasive, lavender blue to rose-colored ball-shaped flowers
  • Wall germander (T. chamaedrys) - 1 - 3’ tall, 3’ wide, mounding habit, makes a nice miniature hedge, pink to purple flowers, with an occasional white thrown in for contrast 
  • Woodland germander or Wood Sage (T. scorodonia) - 1 to 2’ tall, pale yellow or green flowers with red or violet stamens, prefers sandy soil


Germanders of all types feature sturdy pale green to grayish-green to foliage. These evergreens can have tiny flowers, like rosemary, or flowers on spikes. The leaves of some varieties can be very aromatic when crushed or brushed against. The color, structure, and fragrance have made germaders a popular choice for formal knot gardens and parterres. Their low maintenance durability make them excellent border plants, ground covers, and landscape anchors.


Butterflies, bees, and other pollinators love germander flowers for their pollen and nectar. Germander can be grown in containers, indoors or out. Most germander varieties tend to get leggy, so pinching off or cutting stems just above leaf intersections can promote a bushier growth. Germander’s characteristics make it useful in many ways:

  • performs well in rock gardens and xeriscapes
  • aromatic oils make it a nice addition to herbal wreaths
  • responds well to pruning
  • spreading rhizomes can stabilize slopes (and invade areas where they are not wanted)


How to grow germander

As a member of the mint family, germander is easiest to grow from cuttings and division. You can simply pull a piece of existing plant from the ground and put it in some moist soil. New roots should be visible before long. You can also snip a stem and treat it the same way. If you grow germander from seed, it may take a month for them to germinate. I don’t know about you, but a seed that takes that long to break ground is often forgotten about - especially if I forgot to use a plant marker. Take a look at germander the next time you visit a garden supply store. They normally have several varieties available. Germander pests include mites, rust, powdery mildew, and leaf spot, but healthy plants are generally able to fend for themselves.

​Do you have room for germander in your garden? I'd love to see photos!
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Welcome!

    You can grow a surprising amount of food in your own yard. Ask me how!

    ​~ Kate


    Sign up for The Daily Garden!
    Picture

    Index

    All
    Artichokes
    Asparagus
    Beans
    Beets
    Beneficial Insects
    Berries
    Bok Choy
    Broccoli
    Brussels Sprouts
    Bulbs
    Cabbage
    Carrots
    Cauliflower
    Celeriac
    Celery
    Chayote
    Chickens
    Chickpeas
    Children's Activities
    Collards
    Compost & Mulch
    Container Gardening
    Corn
    Cover Crops
    Cucamelons
    Cucumbers
    Currants
    Eggplant
    Endives
    Fennel
    Fenugreek
    Flowers
    Fruit & Nut Trees
    Garden Design
    Garlic
    Grain
    Grapes
    Groundcherry
    Guava
    Herbs
    Hops
    Horseradish
    Irrigation
    Jerusalem Artichokes
    Kale
    Kiwifruit
    Kohlrabi
    Lawns
    Lettuce
    Melons
    Mint
    Native-plants
    Onions
    Parsley
    Parsnips
    Peanuts
    Peas
    Peppers
    Pests & Diseases
    Pineapples
    Plants 101
    Potatoes
    Pruning
    Pumpkins
    Quarantine
    Raised Bed Gardening
    Rhubarb
    Shade Gardening
    Soil
    Sorghum
    Spinach
    Squash
    Strawberries
    Succulents
    Sunburn
    Sunflowers
    Sweet-potatoes
    Tomatillos
    Tomatoes
    Turnips
    Vines
    Weeds
    Wheat
    Zucchini

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • Garden Word of the Day
  • Monthly Chores
  • DIY Chickens