When you garden with ecology in mind, choosing plants becomes less about you and more about the local birds, mammals, and invertebrates that could benefit from your latest addition. Here, Amy Galloway Medley shares heartleaf skullcap, one of her favorite underappreciated native plants.
Watch: Super Cool Plants Podcast | Underappreciated Native Plants
Heartleaf skullcap
- Name: Scutellaria ovata
- Zones: 4–8
- Size: 12 to 30 inches tall and 8 to 18 inches wide
- Conditions: Full sun; dry to average, well-drained soil
- Native range: Central North America
One of my favorite native species right now is heartleaf skullcap. The fuzzy, heart-shaped leaves are beautiful, and they produce an oil that makes the plant very deer resistant. It looks fantastic planted in masses in a perennial border, with spikes of blue-purple flowers that are similar to those of salvias (Salvia spp. and cvs., Zones 5–11) and that attract hummingbirds.
Heartleaf skullcap is a tough native plant for Southwest gardens
Some claim that heartleaf skullcap is aggressive, but I find it doesn’t over-compete or crowd anything if you use it for filling those trouble areas where nothing else will grow. In central Texas, most of our native plants prefer full, scorching sun, but this is one that thrives and blooms in dry shade. It’s also impressively cold hardy and makes a wonderful container plant.
Learn more from Amy about this plant on Fine Gardening’s podcast, Super Cool Plants, or watch the episode on our YouTube channel!
Amy Galloway Medley is the lead horticulturist at Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the University of Texas at Austin.
All photos courtesy of the author.
See More:
Best Native Plants for Your Region
See More Super Cool Plants Podcast Episodes
Subscribe to Fine Gardening All-Access!
Fine Gardening Recommended Products
A.M. Leonard Deluxe Soil Knife & Leather Sheath Combo
Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
MULTITASKING DUAL EDGES: a deep serrated edge and a tapered slicing edge ideal for tough or delicate cuts. DURABLE 6-inch stainless steel blade withstands 300 lbs of pressure. TWINE CUTTING NOTCH, DEPTH GAUGE MARKINGS & spear point – no need to switch tools when using this garden knife. LEATHER SHEATH: heavy duty, protective, clip on sheath to keep your knife convenient and secure. LIFETIME WARRANTY.
