Canada Germander
(Teucrium canadense)
Canada Germander (Teucrium canadense)
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Kim
CC BY 4.0
Image By:
Kim
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Copyright:
CC BY 4.0
Copyright Notice:
Photo by: Kim | License Type: CC BY 4.0 | License URL: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | Rights Holder: Kim | Publisher: iNaturalist | Date Created: 2021-07-05T15:59:26-07:00 |
Estimated Native Range
Summary
Teucrium canadense, commonly known as Canada Germander, is a deciduous perennial herb that thrives in a variety of habitats including moist woods, wet meadows, stream banks, and prairies in the Eastern and Central USA. It typically forms clumps up to 3 feet (90 cm) tall with upright, squarish stems that have small side branches and send out rhizomes at the base. The leaves are opposite, with lower ones stemmed and upper ones sessile, ovate or lanceolate, deeply veined, and coarsely toothed, measuring up to 5 inches (13 cm) long and 2.5 inches (6 cm) wide. From mid-summer to early fall, it produces a terminal inflorescence of numerous whitish or pale lilac lipped flowers, which are particularly attractive to bees and butterflies.
Canada Germander is valued for its wildlife-friendly flowers and its ability to thrive in wet conditions, making it suitable for rain gardens and naturalized areas. It is often used in restoration projects and as a border plant in water-wise gardens. For optimal growth, it requires full sun to part shade, consistent moisture, and can tolerate a range of soil types, provided they have medium to slow drainage. While not commonly afflicted by diseases, it can spread aggressively via rhizomes, which should be considered when planting in smaller gardens.CC BY-SA 4.0
Canada Germander is valued for its wildlife-friendly flowers and its ability to thrive in wet conditions, making it suitable for rain gardens and naturalized areas. It is often used in restoration projects and as a border plant in water-wise gardens. For optimal growth, it requires full sun to part shade, consistent moisture, and can tolerate a range of soil types, provided they have medium to slow drainage. While not commonly afflicted by diseases, it can spread aggressively via rhizomes, which should be considered when planting in smaller gardens.CC BY-SA 4.0
Plant Description
- Plant Type: Herb, Subshrub
- Height: 1.5-3 feet
- Width: 1.5-3 feet
- Growth Rate: Moderate
- Flower Color: Pink, Purple
- Flowering Season: Summer
- Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Growth Requirements
- Sun: Full Sun, Part Shade
- Water: Medium
- Drainage: Medium, Slow
Common Uses
Bee Garden, Bird Garden, Butterfly Garden, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Erosion Control, Hummingbird Garden, Showy Flowers, Water Garden
Natural Habitat
Moist woods, wet meadows, stream banks, and prairies
Other Names
Common Names: American Germander , Hairy Germander , Wood Sage , Wild Germander , Wood-Sage , Amerikansk Gamander
Scientific Names: Teucrium canadense , Teucrium canadense f. canadense
GBIF Accepted Name: Teucrium canadense L.