Satureja douglasii
An evergreen, drought-tolerant California native mint-family groundcover with minty-scented leaves, forming a low mat and spreading by runners, bearing small white flowers in spring and summer, and can be dried for potpourri or brewed into tea.
Common Names
Yerba Buena, Indian Mint, Savory
Summary
Yerba Buena (Satureja douglasii) is a California native evergreen herb in the mint family that forms a low creeping ground cover with trailing stems that root where they touch the soil, featuring minty-scented rounded leaves and small white flowers that appear in spring and summer.
In cultivation, it prefers shade to part shade on well-drained soils, tolerates drought with occasional summer irrigation, and works well as a versatile ground cover for woodland settings, borders, containers, or rock gardens; its fragrant foliage is edible and can be used for tea, and it is described as easy to maintain in appropriate conditions.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
4-8 inches
Spread
2-3 feet
Hardiness Zones
Zones 7-10
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally Partial Shade. Tolerates Full Sun and Partial Sun.
Soil Type
Well-drained sandy or loam soil
Soil Drainage
Well-drained soil.
Soil pH
6.0-8.0, Neutral (around pH 7)
Bloom Color
White
Bloom Time
Spring and Summer
Foliage Color
Green
Fall Foliage Color
Green
Leaf Lifecycle
Evergreen broadleaf
Growth Rate
Moderate
Seasons of Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Propagation Methods
Layering, Seeds, Division
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts bees
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- (Benth.) Briq.
- Publication
- Nat. Pflanzenfam. 4(3a): 300 (1896)
- Synonym Of
- Micromeria douglasii