Cooperative Extension-Sacramento County 4145 Branch Center Road, Sacramento, CA 95827-3823 (916) 875-6913 Office • (916) 875-6233 Fax Website: sacmg.ucanr.edu Garden Notes GN 159 LAMIACEAE: THE MINT FAMILY IN THE FAIR OAKS HORTICULTURE CENTER WATER EFFICIENT LANDSCAPE Many mint family plants make good water efficient plant choices. The family includes several culinary herbs that grow well in our climate and are often included in water-wise gardens (basil, mint, rosemary, lavender, hyssop, marjoram, oregano) in addition to many sages and other common garden plants. Look for these shared qualities: • Square stems • Opposite leaves • Tiny flowers • Volatile oils in their leaves and stems, which gives them their entrancing fragrances and flavors (and usually makes them deer resistant as well) SALVIAS IN THE WEL − commonly called sages BOTANICAL NAME COMMON NAME LOOK FOR IT HERE Salvia ‘Amistad’ Sage Perennial walk Salvia apiana White sage Native plant garden Salvia ‘Bee’s Bliss’ Bee’s bliss salvia Native plant garden Salvia chamaedryoides Germander sage Perennial walk Salvia clevelandii ‘Whirly Blue’ Whirley blue Cleveland sage Perennial walk Salvia clevelandii ‘Winnifred Gilman’ Winnifred Gilman Cleveland Native plant garden sage Salvia ‘Dara’s Choice’ Dara’s choice sage Perennial walk Salvia greggii ‘Blaze’ Autumn sage Front perimeter Salvia greggii ‘Hot Lips’ Autumn sage Perennial walk Salvia greggii ‘Lipstick’ Autumn sage Perennial walk Salvia greggii ‘Raspberry’ Autumn sage Mediterranean raised bed Salvia greggii ‘Red Lady’ Autumn sage Perennial walk Salvia greggii ‘Sparkle’ Autumn sage Front perimeter Salvia leucantha ‘Santa Barbara’ Mexican bush sage Front perimeter Salvia nemerosa Sage Perennial walk Salvia spathacea ‘Las Pilitas’ Las Pilitas hummingbird sage Native plant garden It is the policy of the University of California (UC) and the UC Division of Agriculture & Natural Resources not to engage in discrimination against or harassment of any person in any of its programs or activities (Complete nondiscrimination policy statement can be found at ucanr.edu/sites/anrstaff/files/215244.pdf ). Inquiries regarding ANR’s nondiscrimination policies may be directed to John Sims, Affirmative Action Compliance Officer/Title IX Officer, University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources, 2801 Second Street, Davis, CA 95618, (530) 750-1397. Agriculture • Nutrition, Family and Consumer Sciences • Master Food Preservers • 4-H Youth Development • Horticulture • Master Gardeners U.S. Department of Agriculture, University of California, and the Counties of Sacramento, Solano, and Yolo cooperating GN 159 LAMIACEAE: THE MINT FAMILY PAGE 2 OF 2 OTHER LAMIACEAE BOTANICAL NAME COMMON NAME LOOK FOR IT HERE Agastache x ‘Ava’ Ava’s hummingbird mint Perennial walk Lavandula ‘Goodwin Creek’ Goodwin Creek lavender Perennial walk Lavandula augustifolia English lavender Common variety garden Lavandula augustifolia ‘Hidcote Blue’ English lavender Common variety garden Lavandula stoechas Spanish lavender Mediterranean raised bed Lepechinia hastata Pitcher sage Front perimeter, Mediterranean Nepeta x faassenii ‘Walkers Low’ Catmint Common variety garden Perovskia atriplicifolia Russian sage Common variety garden Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Ken Taylor’ Rosemary Perennial walk Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Mozart’ Rosemary Perennial walk Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Prostratus’ Prostrate rosemary Mediterranean raised bed Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Tuscan Blue’ Rosemary Perennial walk Stachys byzantina Lamb’s ears Common variety garden Teucrium ackermanii Germander Perennial walk Teucrium chamaedrys Germander sage Perennial walk Teucrium cossonii majoricum Fruity germander Perennial walk Teucrium fruticans ‘Azureum’ Bush germander Common variety garden, Mediterranean garden Thymus serpyllum ‘Pink Chintz’ Creeping thyme Common variety garden For more information on plants included in the Lamiaceae family, good starting resources are: • The Plant List (2013) Version 1.1 Published online; www.theplantlist.org/1.1/browse/A/Lamiaceae/ • Calflora: Information on California plants for education, research and conservation. [web application]. 2014. Berkeley, California: The Calflora Database [a non-profit organization]. www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/specieslist.cgi?where-family=Lamiaceae A good reference book on 150 salvias that grow well in California is: • The New Book of Salvias: Sages for Every Garden, Betsy Clebsch, Timber Press; 2nd edition (April 15, 2008) April 2018, updated. July 2014, written by UCCE Sacramento County Master Gardener Pat Schink. Edited by Judy McClure, UCCE Sacramento County Master Gardener Program Coordinator. .