How to Grow Teucrium Plants

Guide to Growing Germander, and Wood Sage.

Teucrium are hardy perennials and sub-shrubs that range from 10 to 90 cm (4 to 36 inches) in height.

This size range makes them useful in many areas of the garden, including in rock gardens, borders, and drystone walls.

Teucrium plant

Teucrium plants bloom in the summer. They have small flowers carried on spikes or in clusters. The flower petals may be purple, pink, blue, green, or yellow.

Wood Germander

Common names for Teucrium include Germander and Wood germander, and Wood sage.

Commonly Grown Teucrium Species Photographs and Plant Identification

Teucrium fruticans

Teucrium fruticans
Teucrium fruticans (Tree Germander / Shrubby Germander), photograph by Peganum; CC.

Teucrium canadense

Teucrium canadense
Teucrium canadense (American Germander / Wood sage / Canada germander), photograph by Homer Edward Price; CC.

Teucrium cossonii

Teucrium cossonii
Teucrium cossonii (Fruity Germander), picture by cultivar413; CC.

Teucrium Growing and Care Guide

Common Names: Germander, Wood sage.
Life Cycle: Hardy perennial.
Height: 5 to 36 inches (12—90 cm).
Native: Northern America, Europe, Asia, Australasia, Africa.
Growing Region: Zones 3 to 9.
Flowers bloom in: Summer.

Flower Details: Pink, blue, yellow, pink, pale green. Clusters. Spikes. Tubular. One-sided. Corolla lacks an upper lip.
Foliage: Large genus and associated large variation. Evergreen. Herbaceous, shrubs, and sub-shrubs. Aromatic. Opposite. Petiolate. Triangular. Ovate to oblong. Some species are triple lobed and oak-like.

Sow Outside: Surface. Start of spring - before the last light frost, or towards the end of autumn.
Sow Inside: Germination time: one month. Temperature: 70°F (21°C). Seven or eight weeks before the expected last frost. Transplant outdoors following the last frost. Space at 8 to 16 inches (20—40 cm).

Requirements and care: Full sunlight or partial shade. Good drainage. Average soil. Light watering during dry periods. Provide a yearly fertilizer. Best grown in a sheltered area. Cut back stems after flowering to promote bushiness and to maintain shape. Propagate: by dividing or taking cuttings in the spring.
Family: Lamiaceae.
Closely Related Species: Mint, Deadnettles, Lavender, Thyme, and Sage.
Miscellaneous: A Bulgarian herbal tea is made from the leaves of Teucrium chamaedrys (wall germander) to treat gastric related symptoms. Attracts moths from the Coleophora family.

How to Grow Teucrium species such as Germander

The seeds of Germander and other Teucrium plant genus members may be sown on the soil surface in late autumn or early spring.

Ideally they like to grow in sunny or partially shaded areas that have a well drained soil.

The soil type that plants grows in is not overly important.

If starting off indoors, then prepare Teucrium plants about seven weeks before you expect the last frost. It should take about 3 to 5 weeks for the seeds to germinate.

They should be transplanted outdoors with a spacing of about 30 cm (12 inches) following the last frost.

Caring for Germander (Teucrium)

It is easy to care for Germander and other members of the Teucrium genus. They should be watered during dry spells and regularly lightly fertilised.

Every spring cut back the plant stems by about fifty percent.

If you require more Teucrium plants, then they can be propagated in the spring from cuttings or by division.

I hope that you enjoyed this guide on how to grow Teucrium plants. You may also enjoy the following Gardener's HQ growing guides: How to grow Scutellaria; Clematis and Aconite plants.