Late blooming perennial, more famous for it's culinary use in Herbs de Provence seasoning mixture. Heat, humidity and drought tolerant plant from Mediterranean region (Southwestern Asia to Southern Europe).
Low mounds of small, stiff evergreen leaves, shrubby-woody base. 0.5-1' tall x 1.5-2' wide, small white flowers in mid to late summer. The whole plant is aromatic (strong pungent-peppery fragrance) and can be used as herb to season beans, meat or other dishes.
Full sun to half shade, prefers alkaline and somewhat drained soils or shallow soils (some sand, gravel, rocky or gritty amendment is useful). Medium moist (average moisture), medium-dry to dry soils.
Adaptable to even heavier soil that drain naturally well.
Attract honeybees and other small bees and butterflies.
Hardy in zones 5 to 8.
Deer and rabbit resistant.
Easy to grow and quite showy plant, best in drier sunny beds, rock gardens, xeriscape, herb gardens or bigger containers. Cut back about 1/3 to 1/2 for better shape or fresh growth. In good condition quite long-lived plant.
Can self seed some too.
Can be combined with many drought tolerant perennials and grasses like Achillea ('Moonshine', A. millefolium hybrids), Agastache (Kudos series, 'Rosie Posie' etc.), Allium 'Summer Beauty' and other summer blooming perennial Allium, Asclepias verticillata, Asclepias tuberosa, Asteromea mongolica, Calamintha nepeta, Callirhoe, Coreopsis, Echinacea, Dianthus, Gaura, Monarda (punctata, bradburiana), Knautia, Iris x barbata (bearded Iris), Limonium, Liatris, Nepeta x faasenii hybrids, Penstemon, creeping Phloxes, Rudbeckia (missouriensis, fulgida var. deamii, 'American Gold Rush' or 'Little Susie'), Ruellia humilis, Salvia, Sedum, Sisyrinchium, Stachys 'Humello', Stokesia, Veronica spicata or creeping veronica, and grasses like Bouteloua, Festuca, Muhlenbergia, Koeleria cristata, Schizachyrium scoparium, Sporobolus or Stipa.
Pot size : square 3.5" x 4" deep perennial pot
Picture copyright : Salicyna, Commons Wikipedia
