Skutellaria lateriflora
Origin: North America
Improvement status: Wild
Seeds per packet: ~100
Germination tested 1/2023: 40%
Life cycle: Perennial
Also known as Blue Skullcap, or Side-Flowering Skullcap, this pretty North American native perennial in the mint family used to be considered a treatment for rabies — hence the name. It is still used medicinally as a sleep aid and sedative. We've read that Cherokee people traditionally used it as an emmenagogue, which means it stimulates blood flow to the uterus and pelvis. The plant loves to grow in wet areas, like the edges of marshes, streams, and ponds, so be sure to keep it well-watered as it's being established or during droughts. It spreads by rhizome, but not too aggressively. Native bees and other pollinators enjoy the flowers, and deer don't like eating the leaves. This is a really great plant we're excited be offering for the first time. Our seed comes from Eileen Wallding and Nicholas Pandjiris at Whistle Down Farm in Hudson, NY.
