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Scutellaria elliptica

hairy skullcap

Lamiaceae Central and eastern United States

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant

Native to North America

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterMedium · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 5–9

Overview

Scutellaria elliptica is an upright herbaceous perennial in the mint family, native to eastern North America. It grows 1-2.5 feet (30-75 cm) tall from a slender rhizome, with square stems covered in short spreading hairs, a trait reflected in the common name. The opposite leaves are oval to elliptic, 1-2.5 inches (2.5-6 cm) long, with rounded teeth and a slightly hairy surface. From late spring into summer the stems carry pairs of tubular two-lipped flowers about 0.5-0.75 inch (12-18 mm) long, blue-violet with a paler, often white-marked lower lip. Each flower sits above a small cup-shaped calyx with a raised ridge, the structure that gives the skullcaps their name. The plant grows in dry to moist open woods, woodland edges, and clearings, often in part shade. It spreads slowly by rhizomes to form small patches rather than running colonies. Unlike many mints, it has little fragrance and does not spread invasively. It dies back to the ground in winter and re-emerges in spring.

Native Range

Scutellaria elliptica is native to the central and eastern United States, from New York and Ontario south to Florida and west to Texas and Kansas. It grows in dry to moist open woodlands, edges, and clearings.

Suggested Uses

Scutellaria elliptica is used in native plant gardens, woodland edges, and shaded borders. It draws bees and other pollinators to its tubular flowers. Its modest size suits the front or middle of a shaded planting.

How to Identify

Look for a 1-2.5 foot (30-75 cm) perennial with square, hairy stems and opposite oval-to-elliptic toothed leaves. Pairs of blue-violet two-lipped tubular flowers about 0.5-0.75 inch (12-18 mm) long open along the upper stems, each above a small cupped calyx with a raised ridge. The ridged calyx and square stems mark it as a skullcap rather than a similar woodland mint.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1' - 2'6"

Width/Spread1' - 1'6"

Colors

Flower Colors

blue

purple

Fall Foliage Colors

no change

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~6 weeks

Spring Summer

Blue-violet two-lipped flowers open from late spring into mid-summer (May-July) in pairs along the upper stems. Bloom continues for several weeks as new flowers form toward the stem tips. Small nutlets ripen within the persistent calyces afterward.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

medium green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 4-8 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

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam sand clay

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

2-3 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Scutellaria elliptica grows in part shade to full sun in average, well-drained soils, including dry woodland ground, and tolerates short dry spells once established. It is hardy in USDA zones 5-9 and dies back to the ground each winter. Grow it from seed or by dividing the rhizomes in spring. It needs little fertilizer and only occasional water in dry weather. It spreads slowly by rhizomes but does not overrun a bed the way running mints do. Too much shade reduces flowering and produces lank stems.