Canada Germander
Teucrium canadense
- Native to:
- Canada, Cuba, Honduras, Mexico, United States
Homer Edward Price (www.flickr.com)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Lamiaceae
- Genus:
- Teucrium
- Species:
- Teucrium canadense
- USDA Symbol:
- TECA3
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 120 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep
- Bloom Colors:
- pink, purple, lavender
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Anthophora californica, Black and (Bombus auricomus), Common eastern (Bombus impatiens), Eastern Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa virginica), Half-black bumble (Bombus vagans), Northern amber (Bombus borealis), Orange-tipped Wood-digger Bee (Anthophora terminalis), Red-belted bumble (Bombus rufocinctus), 🛑Rusty-patched bumble (Bombus affinis), Southern plains bumble bee (Bombus fraternus), Two-spotted Longhorn (Melissodes bimaculatus), ⚠️Western honey bee (Apis mellifera), Xylocopa micans, Yellow bumble (Bombus fervidus) Moths:Snowberry Clearwing (Hemaris diffinis)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies, hummingbirds
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fragrant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from rhizomes following fire. Commonly found in fire-maintained prairie and savanna habitats.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, moist, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- prefers habitats like wetlands and riverbanks
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–42 days
- Notes:
- Seeds require light for germination. Cold stratification improves germination rates.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).
Source: Claude AI
ORGHPS Germination Guide: Sow @ 20C. If no germination in 3 months, try 4C 1-2 months, then 20C again.