- Author: Betty Victor
I am not sure which nursery this plant came from. I have it growing in my garden now. I think it came from Sacramento since I seem to go to different nurseries in Sacramento mostly or it could have come from one of the UC Arboretum plant sales.
My germander is about 4 years old, and it is the variety ‘Azurem' which is supposed to grow 3-4 feet and spread as wide. It is considered a dwarf or compact variety because of its growth pattern. This plant is very drought tolerant and needs deep watering only about every 2-3 weeks. It wants sun but can tolerate some shade. It also can tolerate heat, winds (which here in Fairfield-we sure have them ) as well as frost. So, I think it makes it almost the perfect plant.
The bees really love this plant, one very good thing is its disease and insect resistance. I have not seen any of these problems since I have grown this plant. It has silvery foliage underneath the leaves with small blue flowers that bloom from early spring until very late fall. You can train it into a hedge, use it as a background plant, or as I am going to let it do its own thing. It is in a spot where can spread out the 3-4 feet as the information on it says it can. If it does get out of control it can be pruned back.