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| Fragrant pitchersage (Lepechinia fragrans) - Mother Nature's Backyard garden |
Several
local plants are putting on quite a show this year, despite spotty rains and plenty
of wind. One that’s looking spectacular is our Plant of the Month, Fragrant
pitchersage. If you want to see the
pretty flowers, now’s the time to visit Mother Nature’s Backyard. If you can’t make it this month, other
attributes of this lovely sub-shrub can
be enjoyed year-round.
The
genus Lepechinia, the Pitchersage
genus, is an attractive member of the Mint family (Lamiaceae). Most of the approximately 45 species have the unusual
pitcher-shaped flowers that give the genus its common name. Lepechinia
are native to South and Central America (to central Argentina) north to the coastal
Northern California foothills.
There
are five species native to California, with Lepechinia
fragrans being the most abundant in Los Angeles County. Like most Lepechnias, it grows in the
foothills and lower mountain flanks – in this case of the local Santa Monica
and San Gabriel Mountains. It can also
be found on both the Northern and Southern Channel Islands. The plants are usually scattered among other
chaparral species, most often on north-facing slopes and in canyons that
provide a little summer shade.
Fragrant
pitchersage is a perennial sub-shrub that can grow to 6+ feet wide, but is usually
3-6 ft. (1-2 m.) tall and wide. Plants are vase-shaped in youth, becoming regular,
upright and mounded within several years; they become increasingly irregular and
sprawling with age (see photo, above). Plants tend to remain more compact in sunnier
positions - and if they are pruned. The
lower portions of the branches are woody and brittle, while the new foliage is
succulent and herbaceous.
The
plant grows new side branches each year in late winter, sprouting somewhat
irregularly from the mature wood. The new branches give the plant a fresh, youthful
appearance each spring. The wood itself
is rather brittle – it can even be broken in a wind storm. Older branches also seem prone to unexpected
winter die-off, at least in our hands.
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| Fragrant pitchersage (Lepechinia fragrans) - spring foliage (dry season foliage in inset) |
The
new spring foliage is pale green and densely covered with velvety hairs. The leaves are simple, lance-shaped, with a
stout petiole (leaf stalk) on the lower leaves.
The leaves often have shallowly dentate margins (like small pointed
teeth). The lower leaves are bigger (to nearly 5 inches; 10-12 cm.) than the
upper ones. Leaf color is fresh green to
gray-green in early spring, somewhat darker in sunnier conditions (see photo above).
Like many
local native shrubs, Lepechinia fragrans
produces two sets of leaves a year: a larger, more succulent set in
winter/spring and a smaller, drier and darker set in late spring. Some/many of the spring leaves are shed
during the dry season. Don’t be alarmed when
this happens – it’s a perfectly normal adaptation to our dry climate (for more
see: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2015/10/how-things-work-plant-drought-tolerance.html).
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| Fragrant pitchersage (Lepechinia fragrans) - Close-up of foliage, showing trichomes |
As
seen in the photo above, the new foliage (and even the flowers) is sticky with
glandular hairs (trichomes). These
produce the chemicals that combine to produce a distinctive fragrance. This species is aptly described as ‘fragrant’;
brush by it or rub a leaf in your hands to release a fresh, minty, but entirely
unique scent. We grow this plant in part
for its aroma, which we add to potpourri, tea and other dishes.
As
far as we know, the chemical composition of Fragrant pitchersage has yet to be
studied. But other Lepechinias make a complex mix of aromatic chemicals – many with
medicinal properties. The closely
related Lepechinia calycina produces anti-oxidant
and anti-bacterial compounds and is used medicinally to treat colds and uterine
infections, and as a poultice for skin problems. It was also combined with olive oil and Creosote
bush (Larrea tridentata) to make an
early sunscreen. Mexican and Peruvian Lepechinia
are well-known medicinal plants, whose chemicals are currently being evaluated for
medical potential. We suspect that Lepechinia
fragrans also has medicinal properties.
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| Fragrant pitchersage (Lepechinia fragrans) 'El Tigre' |
Fragrant
pitchersage has exquisite flowers. A
pale lavender color, they hang down from long, slender flowering stalks. There are often 10-15 flowers per ‘wand’ in
our gardens. The calyx (formed of fused sepals) also has a
purplish tinge. In the ‘El Tigre’
cultivar (see above), the calices are a dark red-purple and very showy
indeed. The flower color is also a
little darker in this cultivar (at least when we’ve seen it).
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| Fragrant pitchersage (Lepechinia fragrans): close-up of flowers |
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| Fragrant pitchersage (Lepechinia fragrans): flowers & seed capsules |
The
close-up picture, above, shows the unique shape of the flowers. The petals are fused into a funnel-shaped throat
with three upper lobes and two fused lower lobes that form the ‘lip’ or ‘pouring
spout’ of the pitcher. The coloration is subtle, often with streaks
of white or paler violet and darker veins.
The sexual parts - two pairs of
stamens and a double-lobed style – are mostly hidden within the flower’s throat. You can see them shadowed in the previous
photo.
As
the flower matures, the calyx enlarges and becomes more purple-tinged. It ultimately forms a dry, persistent seed
capsule that contains four smooth, round, dark seeds. You can see flowers at all stages of
development in the photograph above.
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| Monarch butterfly on Fragrant pitchersage (Lepechinia fragrans) |
The
main pollinators of Fragrant pitchersage are the large bees, primarily
bumblebees. But hummingbirds and large
butterflies, like the Monarch seen above, also visit the flowers with some regularity. We suspect they also contribute some effort
to the pollination process. The flowers
in our gardens produce abundant seeds; the pollinators are efficient, whomever
they may be.
Fragrant
pitchersage is not particular about soil texture. We’ve grown it in both sandy and clay soils;
it may do a little better in clays, but is possible in either extreme. Providing the correct light conditions is a bit
trickier. Plants become leggy and are
short-lived in too much shade; but they also balk at hot, sunny
conditions. The ideal is bright shade
(on the north side of a wall or tall hedge) or a place with good morning sun
and a little afternoon shade.
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| Fragrant pitchersage (Lepechinia fragrans) gets some afternoon shade - Madrona Marsh Nature Center, Torrance CA |
As
with many chaparral shrubs, Lepechinia
fragrans is quite drought tolerant once established, but tolerates
occasional summer water. If you live in
the lowlands of Western Los Angeles or Orange Counties, watch the weather
reports for the surrounding foothills.
If the foothills are getting rain, you might want to give your Lepechinia a little artificial ‘rain’.
On
the whole, Lepechinia fragrans is
easy to grow. Fresh seeds germinate with
no special treatment, and seedlings mature quickly into elegant plants. Tip-prune shoots during the growing season to
produce a plant that’s bushy and full. That’s really about all that’s required; this
plant is not usually bothered by pests.
Unlike other Lepechinias, this
species does NOT respond well being severely cut back in the fall.
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| Fragrant pitchersage (Lepechinia fragrans) can be used in many ways in the garden |
While
Fragrant pitchersage has a reputation for being short-lived, it’s well worth a spot
in your garden. Plant it as a specimen
plant in a place of honor. Since it
takes some shade, it can be used in narrow side-yards and on the north side of
walls. We like it as a background plant
in mixed beds with Douglas iris, Heucheras, hummingbird sage and other native mints
and woodmints. And while we’ve never
grown it in a container, we’ve seen a nice example at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic
garden.
Be sure to locate
it where you can enjoy the flowers – and the hummingbirds, bees and butterflies
– close at hand. Place it where you can
easily rub the leaves for a quick ‘pick-me-up’ as you walk by. Harvest leaves for use in fresh spring tea;
you’ll probably also want to dry some for later use. Fragrant pitchersage makes a lovely iced tea
in summer and can be made as a sun tea (see http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2012/06/making-tea-from-california-native-mint.html).
In
summary, Lepechinia fragrans is a joy
to behold – in bloom or not – and a must for aroma gardens. It’s part of our
vanishing natural heritage here in Los Angeles County; it ties us to the land
and the wild bounty of our local foothills. We hope you’ll consider it for a brightly
shady area of your own garden.
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| Fragrant pitchersage (Lepechinia fragrans) - Mother Nature's Backyard |
For a
gardening information sheet see: http://www.slideshare.net/cvadheim/gardening-sheet-lepechinia-fragrans
For more
pictures of this plant see: http://www.slideshare.net/cvadheim/lepechinia-fragrans-web-show
For plant
information sheets on other native plants see: http://nativeplantscsudh.blogspot.com/p/gallery-of-native-plants_17.html
We
welcome your comments (below). You can
also send your questions to: mothernaturesbackyard10@gmail.com
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