Teucrium scorodonia L.
Wood Sage
Wood sage is a native British perennial of the mint family, easily told apart from true sages by its colour. It has upright, square, downy stems and wrinkled, heart-shaped leaves that resemble those of garden sage, topped in summer by slender, one-sided spikes of small, hooded greenish-yellow flowers with conspicuous reddish-brown stamens.
About
Wood sage is a native British perennial of the mint family, easily told apart from true sages by its colour. It has upright, square, downy stems and wrinkled, heart-shaped leaves that resemble those of garden sage, topped in summer by slender, one-sided spikes of small, hooded greenish-yellow flowers with conspicuous reddish-brown stamens. The whole plant has a faintly bitter, hop-like scent.
It is characteristic of dry, often acidic ground, growing on heaths, open woodland, hedge banks, dunes, rocky places and cliffs, on well-drained, lime-poor soils in sun or partial shade. The flowers are visited by bees, including some specialist solitary bees, and as a tough plant for poor, dry, acid conditions it is useful in heathland and woodland-edge plantings and in seed mixes for sandy or stony ground where many other wildflowers would not thrive.
Also known as
Woodland germander · wood germander · wood-sage
Synonyms
Monochilon cordifolius · Scorodonia heteromalla · Scorodonia scorodonia · Scorodonia solitaria · Scorodonia sylvestris · Scorodonia trivialis · Scorodonia vulgaris · Teucrium salviifolium · Teucrium scorodonia crispum · Teucrium scorodonia gasparrinii · Teucrium sylvestre
In our seed mixes
Beta — under active development. This catalogue is still being built and accuracy-checked. The information here (including plant identifications, British native status, soil and sun/shade preferences) is provided in good faith for general guidance only and may contain errors or omissions. It must not be relied upon on its own — please confirm details with us before making planting, specification, foraging or purchasing decisions, and never eat or medicinally use any plant based on this catalogue alone, as some species are toxic. To the extent permitted by law, Phoenix Amenity Supplies accepts no liability for any loss arising from use of this information.