Groundcover
Trailing Germander
Teucrium chamaedrys 'Prostratum' · Lamiaceae
Also called: Wall Germander, Prostrate Germander, Creeping Wall Germander
Trailing Germander (Teucrium chamaedrys 'Prostratum') is a low-water groundcover well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It grows to 8-12 in H x 2-3 ft W in full sun to partial shade, with a moderate growth rate. Expect rosy pink to lavender-purple blooms late spring through summer.
Trailing Germander at a glance
- Water use
- Low (established)
- Sun
- Full sun to partial shade; tolerates reflected heat but appreciates some afternoon shade in the hottest sites.
- Mature size
- 8-12 in H x 2-3 ft W
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Bloom
- Rosy pink to lavender-purple, Late spring through summer (roughly May-September).
- Cold hardiness
- Cold hardy to about 0-10 F (USDA zones 5-10).
- Soil
- Well-drained soils; tolerates poor, rocky, alkaline desert soils. Good drainage prevents root rot.
- Native range
- Species native to the Mediterranean region, Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. Not native to Arizona.
- Best used as
- Groundcover, Low edging and borders, Spilling over walls, Mass plantings, Herb and Mediterranean-style gardens
- Wildlife
- Flowers attract bees and butterflies; deer and rabbit resistant.
- Toxicity
- Genus contains compounds historically linked to liver toxicity if ingested medicinally in quantity; not a typical landscape ingestion hazard but not for consumption.
How to grow Trailing Germander in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Drought tolerant once established; in Tucson water deeply every 1-2 weeks in summer and less often in winter. Avoid constantly wet soil.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Minimal needs; a light application of balanced or slow-release fertilizer in spring is sufficient. Generally thrives without feeding.
Pruning & care
Shear in late winter or after bloom to maintain a dense, low mat and remove spent flowers; tolerates regular shearing and is often used as a low edging or informal hedge.
Notes
A spreading, evergreen, glossy dark-green-leaved low groundcover form of wall germander. Tough and tidy, widely used in the low desert as a low-water edging and groundcover. Takes shearing well for a manicured look.
Sources: AMWUA Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert; University of Arizona Cooperative Extension; Mountain States Wholesale Nursery references; Arizona Municipal Water Users Association plant lists