Species Native to Missouri
Common Name: heart-leaved skullcap
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Lamiaceae
Native Range: Central North America
Zone: 4 to 9
Height: 1.00 to 2.00 feet
Spread: 0.75 to 1.50 feet
Bloom Time: May to September
Bloom Description: Blue - purple
Sun: Full sun
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Low
Suggested Use: Naturalize
Flower: Showy
Tolerate: Drought, Dry Soil, Shallow-Rocky Soil
Culture
Grow in dry to medium, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerates drought. Spreads by rhizomes. Easily grown from seed and will self-seed in the garden. Plants may go dormant after bloom in hot dry summer weather.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Scutellaria ovata, commonly called heart-leaved skullcap, is a pubescent mint family member that features snapdragon-like, tubular, two-lipped, blue-purple flowers (with whitish lower lips) that bloom from May to September in branched terminal racemes (to 6” long) atop square pubescent stems clad with ovate, crenate-serrate, rugose, heart-shaped green leaves (to 4” long). Plants typically grow from 16-24” tall. This skullcap is native from Maryland to Kansas south to Tennessee, Texas and Mexico. In Missouri, it is primarily found in rocky open woods, glades, rocky ledges and bluff escarpments throughout much of southern and central part of the State. (Steyermark).
Genus name comes from the Latin word scutella meaning a small dish or saucer in reference to the shape of the persistent calyx after the flowers fade.
Specific epithet means egg-shaped for the leaves.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems. Powdery mildew and leaf spot may occur. Watch for aphids.
Uses
Borders, meadows, cottage gardens, native plant gardens, open woodland areas and naturalized areas.