Hemizygia teucriifolia
Common name: Dwarf Sage Bush

Exploring grassland in Spring is a real treat. There are many tiny treasures emerging – bulbs with flowers of all colours of course, but some small bushes are sprouting new leaves and flowering too. Hemizygia is one of them. Like all members of the Lamiaceae or Sage family, the small leathery leaves are fragrant – crushing a couple and inhaling the perfume adds a summery touch to a cool spring outing. The perennial bush, between 15 and 30 cm tall is compact, with new stems growing annually from the woody rootstock. The upper surface of the leaves is rough and dark grey-green, while the under surface is velvety grey. It flowers from Spring until Autumn. The inflorescences, borne in clusters, are a dusty mauve colour and in sunny areas in the mist-belt Hemizygia can make quite a carpet of colour. Plants will die back after severe frost but may recover quickly.  Hemizygia teucriifolia is also known as Syncolostemon teucriifolius.

Click on any of the links below to see another Dargle wildflower