Common Name: tree germander
Type: Broadleaf evergreen
Family: Lamiaceae
Native Range: Western Mediterranean
Zone: 8 to 10
Height: 4.00 to 7.00 feet
Spread: 4.00 to 7.00 feet
Bloom Time: Seasonal bloomer
Bloom Description: Blue
Sun: Full sun
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Low
Suggested Use: Annual, Hedge
Flower: Showy
Leaf: Colorful, Fragrant, Evergreen
Tolerate: Deer, Drought, Erosion, Shallow-Rocky Soil
Culture
Best grown in medium to dry, loose, neutral to slightly alkaline, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerant of shallow, rocky soils with low fertility, wind, heat, and salt spray. Tolerates some drought once established. Hardy in zones 8-10. Moderate to severe stem dieback is possible if planted in the colder end of its hardiness range. Site in a protected location to help prevent this. Its habit can be somewhat leggy, but takes well to pruning.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Teucrium fruticans, commonly called tree germander or bush germander, is a medium sized evergreen shrub native to southern Europe. The fragrant, ovate leaves are grey-green in color and reach around 0.75" long. The twigs and undersides of the foliage are covered in fine, velvety white hairs. Small blue flowers (around 1" long) bloom seasonally at the ends of the branches. Mature plants will reach up to 7' wide with an equal spread and take on a mounding habit.
Genus name comes from the Greek name, possibly named for Teucer, first king of Troy.
The specific epithet fruticans means "shrubby", in reference to this plant's growth habit.
Problems
No major pest or disease issues. Deer tend to avoid this plant.
Uses
Rock gardens, seaside gardens xeriscaping, formal or informal border backdrops, hillside gardens. Suitable for use in containers. Takes well to pruning and shearing and can be used as a hedge.