Editor's Pick
Monardella villosa (coyote mint)
Many sources claim that the leaves of this perennial wildflower smell like mint. Some may find its aroma rather medicinal, and the plant has traditionally been used to make tea for treating upset stomachs, sore throats, and respiratory disorders.
Monardella villosa is classified as a subshrub (a short shrub that is woody only at its base and bears new, nonwoody, annual shoots above). It is found only in California, save for one subspecies that occasionally appears in Oregon. It is happiest growing in habitats of the California chaparral and woodlands in the California Coast Ranges and Sierra Nevada foothills. Its delicate rounded lavender or pink flowers bloom from May through August and attract bees and, in particular, butterflies.
Coyote mint is a nice choice for native plant, natural landscape, and habitat gardens; it is also used for ecological restoration projects. It does best in soil that drains well, and although it is drought tolerant, the quality of its blooms and foliage improves with some supplemental irrigation in the hottest months, particularly in our inland location. It can sprawl and tangle, but light pruning will help to keep it neat and tidy.
Photo: Dry Stone Garden