Scutellaria drummondii
Drummond's skullcap
south-central United States and northern Mexico
SunFull Sun – Part Shade
Overview
Scutellaria drummondii is a small annual or winter annual in the mint family (Lamiaceae), growing 3–12 inches (8–30 cm) tall on slender, square, softly hairy stems that branch from the base. The opposite leaves are oval, 0.3–0.8 inch (8–20 mm) long, with shallowly scalloped or smooth margins and short stalks. From spring it bears small two-lipped flowers in the upper leaf axils, deep blue-violet with a paler, white-marked lower lip about 0.3–0.4 inch (8–10 mm) long. The calyx carries a small raised crest on its upper side — the helmet-like bump that gives skullcaps their name — which enlarges and closes over the developing seeds. It grows on dry, sandy, gravelly, and rocky ground, including disturbed roadsides, fields, and open brush, across the south-central United States and northern Mexico. As a small annual it completes its life cycle quickly in spring and dies as the soil dries, leaving little presence later in the year. It reseeds freely on bare, open soil.
Native Range
Scutellaria drummondii is native to the south-central United States and northern Mexico, centered on Texas and extending into Oklahoma, New Mexico, and neighboring states. It grows on dry, open, sandy or rocky soils throughout this range.Suggested Uses
Scutellaria drummondii is used in native, wildflower, and dryland plantings on sandy or rocky ground, where it fills in as a spring annual. It supplies early-season nectar and pollen for small native bees. It also colonizes bare, disturbed soil in naturalistic plantings.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height3" - 1'
Width/Spread3" - 8"
Bloom Information
Blue-violet flowers open in spring, mainly from March through May, beginning soon after the plant develops. A plant flowers over roughly 6 weeks before setting seed and dying back. The flowers are visited by small bees that pollinate them.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Water & Climate
Water Needs
Drought Tolerance
Drought tolerant when established