Germander, Teucrium chamaedrys, is another ornamental
herb for the landscape. It's a hardy perennial that is drought
tolerant and can be used in casual or formal situations.
It's often been a favorite throughout the centuries on castle
grounds and knot gardens because it can be sheared into
a hedge by planting closely and keeping it trimmed. At one
time it was used as a medicinal herb to treat grout, but today
it's main use is ornamental.
Germander blooms in midsummer until fall, but if you want to
use it as a hedge you would cut back on a regular basis to
keep it in shape. If you want to use it as a wildlife or bee plant
then you wouldn't trim it, except once or twice a year. The
plants can be located in full sun or partial shade in a soil that
is fairly fertile, but it must be well-drained. It will benefit from
an addition of organic matter before planting. Space the plants
about 6 inches apart if using as a hedge. If you are growing
it informally, remove the older leaves and flower stalks in the
spring. You can remove any dead wood and cut it back to
around 6 inches as well.
You'll find this variety of germander, teucrium chamaedrys,
listed as green germander or wall germander and it can be
grown from seed or cuttings, but the seeds are usually slow
to germinate, so be patient.
There are different varieties of germander available. One type,
Teucrium x lucidrys is known as hedge germander. It's a hardy
shrub with pink flowers and dark, glossy foliage. It can only be
grown from cuttings of new growth. Another variety is silver
germander, Teucrium fruticans. There is also a creeping
variety and a blue flowered germander. When considering
plants for hedges don't limit yourself to the traditional. It's fun
to consider historical herbs for the landscape.
Richters
Herbs carries Germander.
About the author:
Brenda Hyde is a wife and mom to three living in the Midwest
United States. She is also editor of OldFashionedLiving.com.
Perennial & Landscaping Resources
Breck's: Bulbs & Plants
Spring Hill Nursery
Michigan Bulb
Henry Field's
Gurney's Seed & Nursery
Jackson & Perkins
White
Flower Farm
Nature Hills Nursery
