Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Prefers sun or part shade in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden from santa Lucia Mountains.

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Prefers sun or part shade in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden.

Horticultural selection from solanum umbelliferum var. incanum. A small perennial shrub that reaches about 2' and possibly up to 3', 'Indian's Grey' nightshade needs low to moderate water and embraces a spectrum of light conditions, from full sun to part shade. It was discovered in the santa Lucia Mountains of California and is noted to be a shrubbier, denser form than than the original variety, as well as boasting more flowers. 'Indian's Grey' nightshade flowers prolifically in spring and summer, with lots of lavender purple blooms with yellow centers clustered on silvery limbs with leaves of blue green. It has a compact, mounding form, and would be an excellent addition to gardens for native birds, as the flowers turn to shiny black berries in fall. This deciduous native likes well drained soil, but is adaptable in its soil preference, tolerating alkaline soil and clay. Try it on banks and dry borders, or anywhere you'd like a splash of color! .

Solanum wallacei, also known as Wallace's nightshade, Catalina nightshade, Northern island nightshade, or Wild Tomato, is a perennial plant that produces purple flowers, but otherwise resembles a tomato plant. The foliage and purple-black berries are poisonous. This rare plant is native to canyons and hillsides on Santa Catalina and Guadalupe Islands. It blooms in April and May.

Purple Nightshade (Solanum xanti) is a poisonous shrub with deep blue purple flowers blooming from winter through spring. Purple Nightshade has dark green foliage, and the form is loosely spreading or trailing. To promote a bush form, prune leggy branches in late summer or fall.

This plant likes sun to part shade in coastal gardens and shady spots inland. It is very drought tolerant but will tolerate modest summer watering. Though it prefers rocky soil or loam, it will grow in any relatively well drained soil.

It is noted for being deer resistant and hosts numerous moth and butterfly species.
The green berries, though toxic to animals, attract birds.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers sun or part shade in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Selected by Carol Bornstein from a plant growing in the santa Barabara foothills. Introduced by san Marcos Growers.

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Prefers sun or part shade in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Selection from san Luis Obispo.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers sun or part shade in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. peninsular Ranges (Otay Mountain).

Solidago confinis, commonly called southern goldenrod, is a North American species of flowering plants in the sunflower family. It is native to California, southern Nevada, and Baja California. Solidago confinis is a perennial herb sometimes as much as 200 cm (80 inches) tall, with a thick, woody underground caudex. One plant can produce up to 320 small yellow flower heads in a showy, branching array at the top of the stem.

Solidago elongata, commonly called West Coast Canada goldenrod or Cascade Canada goldenrod, is a North American species of flowering plants in the sunflower family. It is native to western Canada, western United States, and northwestern Mexico, primarily in British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, California, and Baja California, with a few populations in Nevada and Idaho. It grows in the Coast Ranges, the Sierra Nevada, the Cascades, and other mountain ranges in the region. Solidago elongata is a perennial herb up to 150 cm (5 feet) tall, spreading by means of underground rhizomes. One plant can produce 500 or more small yellow flower heads in a large branching (sometimes drooping) array at the top of the plant.

Solidago guiradonis is an uncommon species of goldenrod known by the common name Guirado goldenrod. It is native to the Central California Coast Ranges of central California, in San Benito, San Luis Obispo, and Fresno Counties. There are also reports of isolated populations in the Sierra Nevada in Plumas and Tulare Counties. It grows in woodland and grassland habitat in serpentine soils rich in asbestos. Solidago guiradonis is a perennial herb growing from a woody caudex, sometimes reaching heights well over one meter (40 inches). The leaves are up to 20 centimeters (8 inches) long near the base of the plant but shorter farther up. They are linear to lance-shaped and have winged petioles that expand to nearly sheath the stem at the bases. The herbage is mostly hairless. The inflorescence is a cluster of sometimes as many as 190 small flower heads in a branching, elongated array. Each flower head contains 10-21 yellow disc florets surrounded by up to 8-10 narrow yellow ray florets each 1 or 2 millimeters long.

Solidago lepida , the western Canada goldenrod or western goldenrod, is a North American plant species in the genus Solidago of the sunflower family. It is widespread across much of Canada, the western United States, and northern Mexico. Solidago lepida is a perennial herb up to 150 cm (5 feet) tall, spreading by means of underground rhizomes. Leaves have coarse teeth and are on the stem rather than at the base. One plant can sometimes produce as many as 800 small flower heads, each with 7-22 ray florets surrounding 2-13 disc florets.

Rough Canada Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis var. salebrosa) is a native perennial herb that grows in northern, southern and central California. It tends to grow at elevations from 0-9200 feet.

Rocky Mountain Goldenrod (Solidago multiradiata) is a native perennial herb that grows in central and northern California. It is short-lived. It grows in an upright form to a height of 1 foot, with active growth during the spring and summer. Flowers are yellow and striking, and bloom in the late summer. Leaves are medium green and deciduous. It tends to grow in slopes and meadows, at elevations from 8000-12500 feet.

Solidago spathulata, the coast goldenrod or dune goldenrod, is a North American species of goldenrod in the sunflower family. It is native to the Pacific Coastal regions of the United States, in the States of Oregon and California. Solidago spathulata is perennial herb up to 50 cm (20 inches) tall with a branching underground caudex. One plant can produce as many as 100 small yellow flower heads in a branching array. The species grows on coastal sand dunes and on hillsides overlooking the Pacific.

Solidago spectabilis is a species of goldenrod known by the common names Nevada goldenrod, basin goldenrod, and showy goldenrod. It is native to the western United States in the Great Basin and surrounding areas. It is found in California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, and Utah. There are historical records saying it once grew in southwestern Idaho, but is now extirpated there. Solidago spectabilis grows in moist habitat, including bogs, meadows, seeps, streambanks, hot springs, and wet areas on alkali flats. It is a rhizomatous perennial herb producing one or more erect stems that can reach two meters (5 feet) in maximum height. It is mostly hairless but can have occasional patches of rough hairs. There is a basal rosette of fleshy, lance-shaped leaves measuring up to 25 centimeters (10 inches), the blades borne on winged petioles. The edges may be wavy or slightly toothed. Leaves farther up the stem are smaller and usually smooth-edged. The inflorescence is a large erect or arching array of many flower heads, with some containing up to 100 heads. Each flower head contains 8-22 yellow disc florets surrounded 5-15 narrow yellow ray florets each no more than 4 millimeters long.

Threenerve Goldenrod (Solidago velutina) is a native perennial herb in the Asteraceae (Sunflower) family that is very widespread in western North America and is found in almost every county in California. Recent taxonomic changes have expanded the scope of S. velutina to include S. californica and S. sparsiflora which were previously considered by many to be distinct species. Some sources may still refer to these as separate species, but they are now formally recognized as subspecies. In the garden this plant may appear somewhat unruly, especially in winter when it is deciduous. It is best used where a wild look is desired. The yellow-gold flowers in late summer are showy and attract a large number of insects, as well as some birds.

California goldenrod (Solidago velutina ssp. Californica) is a perennial herb that produces masses of yellow flowers when many other plants are dormant, in late summer and fall. It grows fast and produces many flower spikes up to 5 feet tall.  

Birds and pollinating insects love this plant. Throughout California it is found in open, grassy places up to an elevation of 7,500 feet.

This is a very garden tolerant, easy plant. It likes to be wet in winter/spring and dry in summer but can take extra water. Because it spreads from a creeping rootstock California goldenrod may become invasive; give it room.

Great Basin Goldenrod (Solidago sparsiflora) is a native perennial herb that grows in northern California. It tends to grow in open places, at elevations from 1600-7200 feet.

Sorbus californica, the California mountain ash, is an aggregate species of Rowans native to western North America and sometimes cultivated. It has orange-red fruit and leaflets that are toothed almost from base to apex, but is said to be most often confounded with the western North American species S. occidentalis which has pinkish fruit and leaflets with few teeth.

Sorbus scopulina is a species of rowan that is native to western North America, primarily in the Rocky Mountains. The common name of this species is often given as 'Greene mountain-ash', and is so named in honor of American botanist Edward Lee Greene. Throughout the Cascade Mountains and the Pacific Northwestern portions of this rowan's habitat, it is commonly called Cascade Mountain-ash, sometimes listed as Sorbus scopulina var. cascadensis.

Sorbus sitchensis, also known as western mountain ash and Sitka mountain-ash, is a small shrub of northwestern North America. A multistemmed shrub, it is endemic to northwestern North America, from the Pacific coast of Alaska, to the mountains of Washington, Oregon and northern California and eastward to parts of Idaho and western Alberta and Montana. It is widespread in British Columbia. A multistemmed shrub, it is endemic to northwestern North America, from the Pacific coast of Alaska, to the mountains of Washington, Oregon and northern California and eastward to parts of Idaho and western Alberta and Montana. It is widespread in British Columbia.

Sparganium eurycarpum is a species of bur-reed known by the common names broadfruit bur-reed and giant bur-reed. It is native to wetlands in Eurasia and North America. It is a clonal perennial, spreading by below-ground rhizomes. The common name, bur-reed, arises from the distinctive round clusters of fruits that take the form of a mace. It can be distinguished from all other species of bur-reed by the presence of two stigmas. This species frequently occurs in areas with spring flooding, and may be emersed during periods of lower water. The buried rhizomes provide one method to survive periods of drought, fire, or ice scour. The flowers are wind pollinated, the male flower clusters being separate and more highly elevated than the female. It also produces large seeds, which can accumulate in the soil as buried reserves. It can form dense stands under the right conditions; for example, Sparganium is one of the four main vegetation types in the Ottawa River, Canada. Muskrats feed on the plant, particularly its rhizomes, while the seeds are an important food source for waterfowl.

Bur Reed (Sparganium eurycarpum ssp. eurycarpum) is a native perennial herb that grows in northern, southern and central California. It tends to grow in pond and lake edges, marshes, streams, at elevations from 0-4600 feet.

Simplestem Bur Reed (Sparganium erectum ssp. stoloniferum) is a native perennial herb that grows in northern, southern and central California. It tends to grow in lakes and ponds and marshes, at elevations from 0-2800 feet.

Spartina foliosa is a species of grass known by the common name California cordgrass. It is native to the salt marshes and mudflats of coastal California and Baja California, especially San Francisco Bay. It is a perennial grass growing from short rhizomes. It produces single stems or clumps of thick, fleshy stems which grow up to 1. 5 meters tall. They are green or purple-tinged. The long, narrow leaves are flat or rolled inward. The inflorescence is a narrow, dense, spike-like stick of branches appressed together, the unit reaching up to 25 centimeters long. The lower spikelets are sometimes enclosed in the basal sheaths of upper leaves. This native plant is seriously threatened by the invasion of its non-native relative smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora). The latter was introduced to San Francisco Bay in the 1970s and it quickly began to hybridize with S. foliosa, leading to the near-extirpation of the once-common native plant. The two species reproduce at the same time of year, and the invader sheds large amounts of pollen that fertilize the flowers of the native, so that the majority of the native plant's offspring are hybrids. There are almost no pure individuals of S. foliosa left, as most plants in the area are hybrids: this is an example of genetic pollution. Hybrids of the two species have spread rapidly because they are much more genetically fit than either parent, an example of hybrid vigor. Pure S. foliosa will probably become extirpated from San Francisco Bay, and only its hybrids will remain.

Spergularia macrotheca is a species of flowering plant in the pink family known by the common name sticky sandspurry. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to Baja California, where it grows in many types of moist coastal and inland habitat, often in alkaline and saline substrates. It may be found in marshes, alkali flats, beaches, meadows, seeps, and vernal pools. It is a perennial herb producing a narrow stem up to 40 centimeters long with a woody, thickened base and taproot. They may grow erect or prostrate across the ground. It is covered in sticky glandular hairs, especially in the inflorescence. The stems are lined with fleshy linear leaves, sometimes tipped with spines. The leaves are accompanied by triangular stipules up to a centimeter long each. Flowers occur in clusters at the end of the stem as well as in leaf axils. The small flowers have five pointed sepals and five oval white to lavender-pink petals. The fruit is a capsule containing tiny reddish brown, winged seeds.

Desert globemallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua), also known as apricot mallow, is a perennial shrub with fuzzy, whitish-green leaves and bowl-shaped orange flowers that put on a stunning display in full bloom. A member of the mallow family (Malvaceae), it thrives in creosote bush scrub and desert chaparral habitats across parts of California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Sonora, and Baja California.

This drought-adapted plant grows well in both sandy and clay alkaline soils. It can be cut back in the fall to maintain a compact shape. There are three varieties, including Sphaeralcea ambigua var. rosacea, which features lavender-colored flowers.

Desert globemallow is an excellent butterfly plant and a great addition to desert landscapes.

Louis Hamilton Desert Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua 'Louis Hamilton') is an evergreen perennial with gorgeous, glowing red flowers that bloom almost non-stop. This is a fast growing heat-loving perennial with fuzzy gray-green foliage.

This mallow takes little additional water in summer and tolerates almost any soil type, but prefers well-drained soils. It's best to cut it back hard after flowering to encourage fresh growth and a fuller appearance. It works well on slopes and makes an excellent specimen plant for any desert-themed garden, with blooms that attract butterflies and bees..

Mountain Apricot Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua var. ambigua) is a native perennial herb that grows in southern and central California. It tends to grow in desert areas, at elevations from 500-8200 feet.

Rosy Apricot Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua var. rosacea) is a native perennial herb that grows in Southern and Central California, primarily in the Desert Mountains, the Mojave Desert and Sonoran Desert regions. It tends to grow at elevations from 500-2600 feet.

Apricot Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua var. rugosa) is a native perennial herb that grows in Southern and Central California, primarily in the Desert Mountains, the Mojave Desert and Sonoran Desert regions. It tends to grow at elevations from 500-8200 feet.

Sphaeralcea angustifolia is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family known by the common names copper globemallow and narrow-leaved globemallow. It is native to the southwestern United States as well as northern and central Mexico, where it grows in desert and plateau habitat. It produces many erect stems, approaching three meters in maximum height. It is woolly or felt-like in texture. The gray-green leaf blades are lance-shaped and measure up to about 5 cm long. They have wavy or slightly lobed edges. The leafy inflorescence bears several flowers each with five wedge-shaped orange petals just under 1 cm in length, and yellow anthers. Media related to Sphaeralcea angustifolia at Wikimedia Commons Data related to Sphaeralcea angustifolia at Wikispecies

Sphaeralcea coulteri is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family known by the common name Coulter's globemallow. It is native to the Sonoran Desert, its distribution extending from northern Mexico north into California and Arizona. It is an annual herb, its slender, hairy stems sprawling or growing erect to a maximum height near 1. 5 meters. The thin, gray-green leaf blades are wide and short, heart-shaped or triangular in shape, and measure up to about 5 centimeters long. They have a few wide lobes along the edges which may have teeth or smaller lobes. The leafy inflorescence bears clusters of flowers each with five wedge-shaped orange petals around a centimeter long, and yellow anthers.

Sphaeralcea emoryi is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family known by the common name Emory's globemallow. It is native to the Southwestern United States, California and Northwestern Mexico. It grows in desert habitat and sometimes disturbed areas such as roadsides. Sphaeralcea emoryi can be similar to its relative, copper globemallow (Sphaeralcea angustifolia). It has woolly erect stems that can exceed two meters in height. The gray-green leaf blades are oval to triangular, usually lobed on the edges, and up to 5. 5 centimeters long. The showy inflorescence bears clusters of flowers each with five petals around a centimeter long. The petals are usually orange, or sometimes lavender.

Gooseberryleaf Globemallow (Sphaeralcea grossulariifolia) is a native perennial herb or shrub that grows in Central and Northern California, primarily in the Modoc Plateau region. It is moderately fast growing and moderately long-lived. It grows in a flat form to a height of 2 feet, with active growth during the spring and summer. Flowers are red and striking, and bloom in the late spring. Leaves are medium green and deciduous. It tends to grow in dry and sandy places, at elevations from 0-700 feet.

Munro's Globemallow (Sphaeralcea munroana) is a rare native perennial herb that grows in California, primarily in the High Sierra Nevada region. It is moderately fast growing and moderately long-lived. It grows in an upright form to a height of 2.5 feet, with active growth during the spring and summer. Flowers are orange and striking, and bloom in the mid spring. Leaves are dark green and deciduous. It tends to grow in dry volcanic places, at elevations from 0-6600 feet.

Sphaeralcea rusbyi is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family known by the common names Rusby's globemallow and Rusby's desert-mallow. It is native to the southwestern United States, where it can be found in various types of desert habitat. The species is generally divided into three subtaxa which grow in separate sections of the desert southwest. In general, the plant produces hairy or woolly stems which can reach three meters tall. The leaves are lobed or compound. The flowers each have five red-orange petals up to 2 centimeters long.

Sphenosciadium is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the carrot family containing the single species Sphenosciadium capitellatum, which is known by the common names woollyhead parsnip, ranger's buttons, button parsley, and swamp white heads. The plant is native to western North America from Idaho through Nevada, Oregon, and California into Baja California. It grows in moist habitat types, such as creeksides and meadows. It is included in Toxic Plants of North America (Burrows & Tyrl, 2001). Ranger's buttons plants are quite similar to the other large Umbelliferae that share similar habitats: Sierra angelica and cow parsnip, but each has a very differently shaped leaf, and the other two have umbellets with quite distinct flowers, in contrast to the tight balls on ranger's buttons.

Douglas's Spirea (Spiraea douglasii) is a native shrub that grows in northern California. It is moderately fast growing and long-lived. It grows in a semi-upright form to a height of 7 feet, with active growth during the spring and summer. Flowers are purple and striking, and bloom in the mid summer. Leaves are dark green and deciduous. It tends to grow at elevations from 0-6400 feet.

The mountain shrub Spiraea densiflora has several common names, including mountain spiraea, dense-flowered spiraea, rosy spiraea, and subalpine spiraea. It is found on the west coast of North America from California to British Columbia. It grows at elevations between 2,000 and 11,000 feet on inland mountain ranges. It is a woody shrub rarely reaching a meter in height. It has light green toothed leaves which turn yellow as cold weather approaches. The plant bears fragrant, fuzzy pom-pons of bright rosy pink flowers in the summer. The fruit is a tiny dry pod, no more than one eighth of an inch in length.

Spiranthes porrifolia is a species of orchid known by the common names creamy lady's tresses and western ladies' tresses. It is native to the western United States from Washington and Idaho to southern California. It can be found in moist and wet habitat, such as mountain meadows, freshwater swamps, and riverbanks. It is a perennial herb growing from a tuberous root system, reaching a maximum height around 60 centimeters. The leaves are mainly located around the base of the erect stem. They are linear or lance-shaped, or sometimes nearly oval. The top of the stem is occupied by the inflorescence, a dense spiral of many flowers. Each flower is somewhat tubular, with an upper and lower lip, and cream to yellowish in color. Porrifolia is Latin for "leak-leaved. "

Spiranthes romanzoffiana, commonly known as Irish Lady's-tresses or hooded lady's tresses, is a species of orchid. Collected by Chamisso during the Romanzov expedition it was described by him in 1828 and named for Count Nikolay Rumyantsev who financed it. This orchid is native to North America, Ireland and the British Isles. (Codes)

Alkali Sacaton (Sporobolus airoides) is a moderately fast-growing and moderately long-lived bunchgrass, native to southern and central California. It thrives in a variety of habitats, from coastal areas to foothills, central valley, and desert mountains, typically in locations with slightly more moisture. Its most notable feature is its ability to tolerate alkaline soils, which is reflected in its name. Early settlers viewed it as an indicator of underground water. This grass grows upright to a height of 3 feet, with active growth in spring and summer, producing yellow flowers that bloom in mid-summer. The showy seedheads persist throughout the summer and last for many months. The medium green leaves are deciduous and fall off in winter.

Alkali Sacaton is found in moist, but not saturated, places at elevations ranging from 0 to 6,900 feet. It can tolerate occasional foot traffic, but it should not be considered as a replacement for a lawn in areas that experience regular or heavy foot traffic.

Sporobolus contractus is a species of grass known by the common name spike dropseed. It is native to western North America, including the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It grows in desert and plateau habitat, in woodlands, scrub, and dry, sandy, open areas. It is a perennial bunchgrass forming a clump or tuft of stems reaching up to 1. 2 meters in maximum height. The stem bases are thick and sheathed by the hairless leaves. The inflorescence is dense, cylindrical, and narrow. It is a spikelike series of many small whitish or grayish spikelets.

Sand Dropseed (Sporobolus cryptandrus) is a native grass that grows in northern, southern and central California. It is moderately fast growing and short-lived. It grows in an upright form to a height of 3 feet, with active growth during the spring. Flowers are yellow and bloom in the late summer. Leaves are medium green and deciduous. It tends to grow in washes and rocky slopes, at elevations from 1100-9200 feet.

Sporobolus flexuosus is a species of grass known by the common name mesa dropseed. It is native to western North America, where it can be found in the deserts and woodlands of the Southwestern United States and Northern Mexico. This bunchgrass forms a tuft of stems growing up to a meter long, erect to decumbent in form. It is a perennial grass but it is short-lived and is sometimes an annual. The leaves are up to 26 centimeters long and rough-haired along the margins. The inflorescence is an open panicle of spreading branches bearing grayish spikelets.

Stachys ajugoides is a species of flowering plant in the mint family known by the common name bugle hedgenettle. It is native to western North America, where it can be found in many types of habitat in Oregon, California, and Baja California, especially moist areas. It is an aromatic herb with serrate leaves. The inflorescence is a spike of interrupted clusters of flowers, often in shades of pink. Media related to Stachys ajugoides at Wikimedia Commons

White Hedge Nettle, Stachys albens, is a mint endemic to California. The plant is fuzzy all over, with opposite, triangular, serrate leaves, a square stem, and a fragrant minty smell if bruised. It produces a layered spike of many small white to cream colored flowers with purplish veins. Each flower has a 2-lipped and 5-lobed calyx which is densely cobwebby.

Stachys albens occurs between sea level (0 ft.) and 9000 ft. (2740 m) in nature. It is found in moist to wet riparian, bog, seep, and swamp habitats within the following plant communities: Central, Foothill, and Southern Oak Woodland; Chaparral and Coastal Sage Scrub;, Valley Grassland; Wetland-Riparian; Yellow Pine Forest; Red Fir Forest; Lodgepole Pine Forest; California Mixed Evergreen Forest; and Pinyon-Juniper Woodland (Mojave and Colorado Deserts).

White Hedge Nettle is very easy to grow in sun (coast-high elevations) to part sun (coast-inland) in regularly watered landscape areas. It is a winter deciduous/dormant perennial plant, and in dryer gardens it may go partially or fully summer dormant/deciduous also. It spreads by rhizomes to the edge of moisture, and in consistently moist garden conditions can become invasive. Stachys albens is a larval host for the Variable Checkerspot. Butterfly.

California Hedgenettle (Stachys bullata) is a perennial evergreen herb in the Mint family. California Hedgenettle is a delicate, attractive flowering plant that performs well in damp, partially shaded areas. It tends to grow in wet, swampy, boggy places, at elevations from sea level to 1,600 feet. The leaves are deep green and tongue-shaped. Two-lipped purple or pink flowers bloom on stalks spring through summer.

Throughout the rest of the year, the plant forms a bushy, spreading groundcover. Like most wetland plants, it spreads to occupy suitably damp land but is easily controlled. California Hedgenettle thrives in partially shaded areas and will tolerate clay soils. While not drought adapted, this plant is a good choice for bioswales, pond margins, and similar areas where a showy, flowering plant may be desired.

California Hedgenettle attracts hummingbirds, butterflies and other insects. Despite its common name, it does not form a hedge nor sting like true nettles.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Central and south western CA.

Stachys chamissonis is a species of flowering plant in the mint family known by the common name coastal hedgenettle. It is native to the west coast of North America, where it grows in moist coastal habitat from Alaska to central California. This mint produces an erect stem well over one meter in maximum height, and often over two meters. It is hairy, glandular, and aromatic. The oppositely arranged leaves have pointed, wavy-edged blades up to 18 centimeters long which are borne on petioles. The hairy, glandular inflorescence is made up of interrupted clusters of up to six flowers each. The flower has a deep pink tubular corolla which can be over 3 centimeters long. The corollas are borne in hairy calyces of purple or purple-tinged sepals.

Stachys palustris, commonly known as marsh woundwort, marsh hedgenettle, or hedge-nettle, is an edible perennial grassland herb growing to 80 centimeters tall. It is native to parts of Eurasia but has been introduced to North America. The marsh woundwort is native to Europe and Asia. Its typical habitat is near the shore of lakes, in marshes with alder trees, on the banks of ditches and streams, in damp meadows, in arable ground and in waste places. In arable land, it is a difficult weed to get rid of because of its persistent tubers. Marsh woundwort is a perennial plant growing from a horizontal tuberous runner. It has square stems with opposite pairs of leaves that are almost stalkless, linearly lanceolate, slightly cordate at the base and toothed. The calyx has five sharply-pointed lobes. The purplish-red flowers are in terminal spikes, with gaps in the lower part of the spike. They are arranged in whorls, each flower consisting of five fused petals, the corolla being two-lipped, the upper lip being gently hooded and the lower lip flat and three-lobed. The flowers are mostly visited by bumblebees. There are four stamens, two long and two short and the fruit is a dry four-chambered schizocarp. Distribution and habitat. The marsh woundwort is native to Europe and Asia. Its typical habitat is near the shore of lakes, in marshes with alder trees, on the banks of ditches and streams, in damp meadows, in arable ground and in waste places. In arable land, it is a difficult weed to get rid of because of its persistent tubers. Ecology. Although the marsh woundwort has little fragrance, it is very attractive to bumblebees. Nectar indicators guide the insect to probe into the centre of the flower and the anthers of the stamens and the pistils are correctly located for the insect to transfer pollen between flowers. The seeds of this plant disperse well, the dry fruit capsules float away and this probably why the plant is frequently found on the banks of lakes and other bodies of water. It also spreads vegetatively by means of hollow tuberous root which can throw up shoots far from the original plant. The marsh woundwort is native to Europe and Asia. Its typical habitat is near the shore of lakes, in marshes with alder trees, on the banks of ditches and streams, in damp meadows, in arable ground and in waste places. In arable land, it is a difficult weed to get rid of because of its persistent tubers.