Summer-blooming spiky flowering plants under 3 feet. In garden design parlance, the verticals. We all need some, right? Herbaceous varieties of salvias and veronicas include lots of contenders. Although I’ve had some success with veronica, herbaceous salvias often melt away after a zone 10 winter. In addition to trying out Lysimachia ephemerum (again) and some penstemons, this summer I’m filling the spike void with a teucrium hardy to zone 6, maybe even 5, Teucrium hircanicum ‘Paradise Delight.’ The Iranian Wood sage is shrubby in character, crinkly rugose leaves, red-violet spikes. More drought tolerant than herbaceous spiky stuff and better suited to a summer-dryish garden, or so I’m hoping. The pale green inflorescences started deepening to violet this week.
I can already see that it won’t have that upright, regimental discipline that is characteristic of the herbaceous salvias. This teucrium wants to dip and twist. Admitting to a mad crush on a plant its first summer in the garden is not at all sensible or prudent, so I’ll just say the Iranian Wood Sage is looking very promising.
Mine are from Digging Dog Nursery in Mendocino, California.
This plant loves my garden, and comes up all over the place. I like it very much, and wonder if my climate, here in the Santa Cruz Mountains, is so similar to the climate in Iran?
Yay! I just bought some of these last fall (although of the variety ‘Purple Tails’. I wanted something tough and drought-tolerant for the parking strips..and I DO love purple spiky flowers…so it seemed like a no-brainer 😉 Mine are just starting to really form the flower spikes…can’t wait for them to bloom!
‘Purple Tails’ here too, though sadly I lost one this winter, and still unsure what caused it’s demise. PT is not in Digging Dogs catalog this year, so perhaps I will try a couple of these as a replacement.A first rate plant that one.
I just got one a few months ago. It’s cute. Kind of reminds me of a Veronica. Is it really from Iran? My father will be pleased.
nice
Nancy, that’s good to hear it’s robust — I want more!
Scott, I should’ve included agastaches as another example of verticals, something your garden excels in!
Kathy, I’m curious what the differences are between these two. Might need both kinds.
Kaveh, yes, the Caucasus Mountains.
Dustin, yes, it is — very.