A Native, Blue Flowering Plant for your Woodland Garden

Heartleaved Skullcap - photo by Hippie mama
Got Dry Shade?  

 Heart-leaved Skullcap (Scutellaria ovata) is a native, deer-resistant plant for a dry semi-shade to open shady site. It grows 14-20” tall and is hardy in Zones 4-9. 

 It also has blue flowers.  Wow!

 During the summer the blue-purple, snapdragon-like, tubular flowers bloom and last until early fall. Afterward, the flowers are replaced by small dark nutlets (skullcaps).


This plant likes alkaline soil with pH of 7 to 8. (Add lime). The root system is fibrous and spreads by rhizomes.  It can be a little aggressive so take care. 

 Its leaves are ovate and have a purple metallic patina to them at flowering. Quite lovely. 

photo source click here 

Heart-leaved Skullcap is easily grown from seed and will self-seed in the garden. Plants may go dormant after bloom in hot dry summer weather so plant summer salvia or other plants nearby. 

 Deer avoid it. Isn't that great?

 This variety of skullcap is native from Maryland to Kansas south to Tennessee, Texas and Mexico. 


Grow Heart-leaved Skullcap from seed and let it spread. Buy now and seed.


tried and true plant - click here for source 

It is drought tolerant, once established, and is a magnet for native insects and butterflies. 

Plant in groups in borders, meadows, native plant gardens,and open woodland gardens.

Buy seed from many sources including Gardens of the Blue Ridge and  Prairie Moon Nursery.


skullcap seed from Prairie Moon Nursery 








Comments

  1. Lee@A Guide to Northeastern GardeningAugust 16, 2014 at 8:28 PM

    This is a nice plant and an extra bonus...it takes dry shade and is native! Thanks for sharing-I always enjoy finding new selections.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jan JohnsenAugust 17, 2014 at 11:04 AM

      Thanks Lee...I will be seeding it this fall and will report back next year...

      Delete
  2. Verdant LandscapesAugust 20, 2014 at 12:12 AM

    Wholesale grower of Scutellaria ovata in deep plugs: New Moon Nursery in southern New Jersey. If yor're too impatient to seed :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jan JohnsenAugust 20, 2014 at 2:14 PM

      That is such a good idea - thanks for this! I should include that in the blog post...New Moon Nursery plugs...

      Delete
  3. Grass GeneralOctober 8, 2017 at 11:24 AM

    The hear leave skull cap is a beautiful plant. I did not know that it does not die during the winter months. Informative.

    ReplyDelete

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