Teucrium Lucidrys (Germander) — Perennial, Shrub, Sub-shrub

Overview

Teucrium Lucidrys is a perennial, shrub, sub-shrub perennial in the genus Teucrium, part of the Lamiaceae family, with aromatic foliage. Teucrium Lucidrys grows best in full sun, and tolerates loam soils and neutral pH. Its UK hardiness is rated H4. Suggested uses include border, ground cover and rock garden.

About

Teucrium Lucidrys is a perennial member of the mint family (Lamiaceae) that shares the genus's four-angled stems and opposite leaves. Its flowers appear from June to September, borne in clustered thyrses with a corolla in white to cream tones. The corolla forms two lips, the lower lip with three lobes and a larger central lobe. Botanically notable are the four stamens and fruit that divide into four segments.

About the genus

Teucrium is a cosmopolitan genus of flowering plants in the mint family Lamiaceae, commonly known as germanders. Plants in this genus are perennial herbs or shrubs, with branches that are more or less square in cross-section, leaves arranged in opposite pairs, and flowers arranged in thyrses, the corolla with mostly white to cream-coloured, lobed petals.

Wikipedia contributors, "Teucrium", CC BY-SA 4.0 — Teucrium

In the garden

Belonging to Teucrium, a genus with a cosmopolitan distribution, Teucrium Lucidrys shows the structural features familiar to germanders: stems more or less square in cross-section, leaves in opposite pairs and inflorescences arranged as thyrses. Flowering runs from June to September, when the white to cream corolla is produced; the upper lip of the corolla is reduced while the lower lip carries three lobes, the central lobe usually the largest. Keep observation practical: the plant's form and flowering habit suit situations where a late-spring to summer floral display is needed. Light pruning after flowering helps tidy flowering shoots and reveal the square-stemmed branching. Botanical details such as four stamens attached near the base of the petals and the four-part schizocarp fruit are useful to recognise when comparing Teucrium species. Use its flowering sequence when planning summer interest; note that the white to cream flowers are most conspicuous on the lower corolla lobe. Focus maintenance on removing spent flower clusters and checking stems for open branching so the thyrses remain visible through the summer months.