Recommended for your garden in the south of Spain: Scutellaria

The flowers of most of the species are stunning shades of deep blue, purple and pink (and occasionally white) which make them a very decorative plant for a border, rock garden or as a specimen plant in a container

Denise Bush

Malaga

Friday, 12 July 2024, 14:19

Scutellaria is a large genus of around 350 species in the Lamiaceae family (mint). It is commonly known as skullcap, a type of military helmet worn in the Middle Ages, due to the rounded shape of calyx after the flowers fall. The Latin word 'scutella' means a small dish or cup.

It is found growing wild in many regions of the world and each species has adapted to its particular growing conditions.

The most common species is the Chinese skullcap, Scutellaria baicalensis which is used in traditional Chinese medicine. The dried rhizomatous roots are ground up to treat dysentery, diarrhoea and high blood pressure. Extracts of the plant are high in flavonoids and are used to help cure anxiety and sleep disorders.

The flowers of most of the species are stunning shades of deep blue, purple and pink (and occasionally white) which make them a very decorative plant for a border, rock garden or as a specimen plant in a container.

Probably the best choice for a Mediterranean garden is Scutellaria suffrutescens (pink skullcap); it is more drought resistant than other species.

It has bright pink or fuschia flowers and will reach a height of just over a metre by around 1.5metres wide, forming a rounded mound of vegetation.

In cold winters it will die back to the ground and re-shoot in spring. In milder areas the top growth may survive the cooler months although it will benefit from a hard prune after flowering to keep it vigorous. For the best show of flowers it needs a location in full sun. It is not fussy about soil but prefers a rich, free-draining loam where it will spread and self-seed.

Propagation is easy from seed although germination may take up to thirty days. It can also be grown from root cuttings.

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