Plant Type

Ground cover, Herb

 

Height Range

Under 1'

 

Flower Color

Blue, Purple, Red

 

Flower Season

Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall, Intermittent

 

Leaf Color

Grey Green

 

Bark Color

n/a

 

Fruit Color

n/a

 

Fruit Season

n/a

Sun

Full

 

Water

Low

 

Growth Rate

Moderate

 

Soil Type

Sandy, Clay, Loam, Rocky, Unparticular

 

Soil Condition

Poor, Well-drained

 

Soil pH

Neutral

 

Adverse Factors

n/a

Design Styles

Ranch

 

Accenting Features

Showy Flowers, Unusual Foliage

 

Seasonal Interest

Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall

 

Location Uses

Entry, Raised Planter

 

Special Uses

Filler, Hedge, Screen, Lawn Alternative, Fire Resistant, Small Spaces

 

Attracts Wildlife

n/a

American germander or Canada germander, is a woody-based, clump-forming, rhizomatous, herbaceous perennial of the mint family. It grows about 18 to 36 tall, and due to its rhizomatous nature, can spread 3 or more feet. Soft purplish-pink flowers on spike-like racemes bloom from June to September.

Grow in dry to medium-dry, well drained soil in full sun, though it tolerates part shade. Tolerates poor soils, as long as the drainage is good (soggy or damp soils will cause the plant to rot at the crown). though listed as evergreen, it is not reliably so in our harsh winter climate. Though it has a pleasing, rounded form with no intervention, it will tolerate pruning and shearing. It makes quite a pleasing little hedge, in fact. Can be aggressive in optimum growing conditions where it often spreads easily by rhizomes and self-seeding to form large colonies, though there are worse things that could happen in your garden...