LEPECHINIA. Pitcher sage. California, Mexico to South America, and Hawaii. An interesting group of shrubs and woody-based perennials of the mint family, some of them quite ornamental. They vary in habit but have large paired, usually hairy and aromatic leaves and irregular flowers with broad tubes and 2-lipped “faces”. The following are good plants for the background of a perennial border and for banks and open slopes. They are easy to grow in sun or light shade, planted in well drained soil, with moderate to occasional watering. Their hardiness varies as shown.

calycina. This is a common chaparral plant in California, quite variable in size and habit. I selected our material from bushy, 3-4’ shrubs with good flowering characteristics. These have rather bright green, narrow-oval 2-3" leaves, with a pleasant sagey fragrance. The flowers are a little over an inch long, broadly bell-shaped, and white, in this case with a pink blush and markings. This is a rugged plant for banks and other low-maintenance plantings. Hardy to 15^oF. or less.

fragrans. Channel Islands and southern California. An upright shrub, growing 4-6’ tall. It has furry grey green, pleasantly scented leaves. The flowers are a little over 1" long and pink to pale lavender in color, borne in loose clusters at the shoot tips in spring and summer.

hastata. Mexico. A shrub about 6’ tall, spreading by underground rhizomes to make small thickets. The stems are stout and set with very large, densely furry, arrow shaped leaves. These have a sweet, pungent fragrance. During the summer months large, openly branched clusters of reddish purple blossoms are borne at the shoot tips.