Description
Monardella –
There are about 20 species of annual and herbaceous perennials often with creeping stems in genus. They occur mainly on dry, stony slopes in Western North America. The small, opposite, highly aromatic, smooth edged or toothed leaves, are linear to diamond-lance-shaped, oblong, ovate, or elliptic. In summer it bears terminal, spherical whorls of 2 lipped, tubular red, pink or purple flowers (the upper lip 2 lobed and lower one 3 lobed), often with purplish red leaf bracts. Suitable for a rock garden, the front of a mixed border.
Grow in poor, sharply drained soil in full sun. Protect from excessive winter moisture, and shelter from cold, drying winds. Divide perennials in spring.
Prone to rust, aphids, and whiteflies.
M. macrantha – This deciduous, decumbent, suckering, trailing woody based sub shrubby perennial from California grows 6″ tall and 8″ wide. It produces spreading branches that carry ovate to elliptic, toothed, hairy, slightly leathery, mid green leaves, to 1 1/4″ long. In mid and late summer it bears tubular orange-red flowers, ½” long, are held in whorls, to 1 ½” across, surrounded by purplish bracts.
Zones 9-10
