How to Grow and Care for Germanders

Tree germander (Teucrium fruticans) is an evergreen shrub that will grow from 1.2 to 2.5 m tall. Its gray-green leaves emit an aromatic scent, while its silvery white undersides offer a glowing contrast. It blooms most of the year with tiny, lavender-blue flowers that attract bees and butterflies. An extremely durable plant that is drought-tolerant and can withstand wind and salt spray, making it a good choice for coastal or seaside locations.

American germander (Teucrium canadense) was once used to make beer before hops became popular. However, it has since been found that this common plant can cause liver damage. Its redeeming value is that it attracts pollinators such as hummingbirds and hummingbird moths.

A small, shrubby herb, felty germander is native to the Mediterranean area. This spreading ground cover is highly drought-tolerant and an excellent choice for rock gardens. It produces inconspicuous clumps of small white to pink flowers.

Native to western Europe and parts of northern Africa, woodland germander (Teucrium scorodonia) has been widely cultivated as an ornamental. The species boasts lovely, pale yellow or green flowers and is known to be very pollinator-friendly. Woodland germander has been naturalized beyond its native range, including on New Zealand and in parts of the U.S.'s northeast.

Wall germander (Teucrium chamaedrys) is a creeping evergreen perennial that thrives in temperate areas where the temperature doesn't often dip below freezing. Wall germander is commonly grown as an ornamental plant for its attractive, aromatic foliage and its pink or purple flowers. The flowers lure in pollinators and are an excellent pollen source for honey bees.