Monardella is agenus of approximately 40 species ofannual andperennialplants native to western North America fromBritish Columbia to northwesternMexico.[1][3][4] They are grown for their highly aromatic foliage, which in some species is used for herbal teas. The two-lipped, tubular flowers are formed in terminal clusters and are most usually red, pink, or purple.[5]
Monardella is a Latin diminutive form ofMonarda (ataxonomic patronym honoring the Spanish botanistNicolás Monardes), which the form of the flower heads resembles.[2] Plants in this genus are commonly known aswildmints,coyote mints ormonardellas.
Monardella odoratissimaBenth. - mountain wildmint, mountain coyote mint or mountain pennyroyal - much of western North America from British Columbia south to southern California & New Mexico
Most like a sunny, sharply drained site and can be attractive in arock garden or pot in thealpine house if smaller species are selected. The taller ones can be used at the front of a dry sunny border. They have reasonable frost resistance, but resent dampness in winter. Propagate from seed or summer cuttings of perennial species, or by division of clumps.
Several species are rareCaliforniaendemics; two, the Merced monardella (M. leucocephala) and Pringle's monardella (M. pringlei), have not been seen in many decades and are presumedextinct.[10][11]
^abBurkhardt, Lotte (2018-06-06).Verzeichnis eponymischer Pflanzennamen - Erweiterte Edition. Index of Eponymic Plant Names - Extended Edition. Index de Noms éponymiques des Plantes - Édition augmentée (in German). Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin. p. M64.doi:10.3372/epolist2018.ISBN978-3-946292-26-5.S2CID187926901.
