Condea emoryi (Desert Lavender)

Highly adapted to hot desert climates, Condea emoryi (Desert Lavender) is a pleasantly fragrant, multi-stemmed evergreen shrub boasting silvery gray, rounded leaves with scalloped and toothed edges. A profusion of tiny blue-violet flowers packed into short terminal and axillary spikes are on display from mid-winter to late spring. Desert Lavender emits a wonderful lavender fragrance when brushed or following rains. A favorite of bees and butterflies, Desert Lavender is a gardener’s dream: it requires little water, little maintenance, is heat and drought-tolerant, and produces colorful flowers over a very long season. This desert shrub is perfect for xeric and desert landscape settings. The leaves are used to make herbal tea.

• Grows up to 6-10 ft. tall and wide (180-300 cm).
• Enjoys full sun in dry, sandy, or gravelly, sharply-drained soils. Drought tolerant once established but looks better with irrigation. Tolerates summer water up to once per month.
• Very useful and adaptable in the garden, it is trouble-free and easy to grow. Makes an attractive accent in borders, butterfly gardens, or desert gardens. Can also be grown as an informal hedge.
• Deer resistant.
• Prune to control shape and size in summer or fall.
• Propagate from seeds or softwood cuttings.
• Native to Arizona, Nevada, California, and northwestern Mexico in Sonora and Baja California.