Re: Lepechinia fragrans/hastata

It would seem that Susannah's plant is probably something other that 
Lepechinia fragrans, if only due to the location (this species is listed as 
being endemic to California).  I got curious about the distribution of this 
species though - it is listed in CalFlora as being found only in a couple 
of southern California counties.  My own plant I obtained as seed from Mt. 
Diablo here in northern Calif.  CalFlora does list one occurance in Alameda 
county, but that is stated as the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden!  Does 
anyone else note this species growing naturally locally?

This species is adaptable to cultivation, though is a bit of a gawky 
thing.  The plants I found in the wild grew through evergreen shrubs 
(Baccharis, I believe) the leafy tips and flowers in full sun and the roots 
far below in shade and a bit more moisture (though I'm sure this dried out 
in summer).  My own plant I have placed to good effect behind complimentary 
shrubs (my favorite was a white flowered Rosemary, which also supported an 
equally gawky Salvia discolor at the same time!).  I love the interesting, 
pungent/citrus scent of the leaves, and while the flower spikes are 
consistently lax and lazy, the way the delicate flowers hang off them is 
very appealing.  Easy from cuttings as well as seed (I think the sprinkle 
in a pot and forget about them approach works best!  ;-)

I also grow L. hastata, which, contrary to someone's statement, is native 
to both Hawaii and Baja California!  It's more robust, hastate leaves are 
strongly pungent, almost turpentine-like.  The flowers are very small by 
borne by the hundreds on very robust, vertical branched corymbose spikes, 
and are red-violet in color.  A bit receeding and dull for a red, but very 
effective when combined with magentas and rich pinks.  Some specimens has 
been observed to reach as much as 6ft in flowering!  A nice plant, even out 
of flower, due to the strong statement of the large leaves.  This species 
regularly seeds itself around - I often have to remove it where it is 
unwanted, but I wouldn't get rid of it entirely for anything!

Regards,
Sean O.

Sean A. O'Hara                       sean.ohara@groupmail.com
h o r t u l u s   a p t u s          710 Jean Street
'a garden suited to its purpose'     Oakland, CA 94610-1459, U.S.A.
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