Teucrium canadense
 
Common Names American Germander, Canada Germander, Wood Sage
 
Zones 4–9
 
A robust, herbaceous perennial native to moist meadows, thickets, and streambanks across eastern and central North America, Teucrium canadense is valued for its pollinator support and adaptability. Its square stems, toothed foliage, and spike-like racemes of lavender-pink flowers make it a striking addition to native beds and wetland margins. Though showy, it spreads aggressively by rhizomes and is best suited to restoration zones or controlled plantings.
 
Key Features
Growth Habit: Clump-forming; rhizomatous; upright stems
Height: Typically 2–3 ft (0.6–0.9 m); may reach 5 ft in ideal conditions
Leaves: Opposite; lanceolate to ovate; coarsely toothed; aromatic when crushed
Stems: Hollow, square, hairy; green to reddish; unbranched or sparsely branched
Flowers: Lavender-pink; two-lipped; bloom June–September; terminal racemes up to 8 in long
Fruit: Nutlets; yellowish-brown; retained in dried calyx
Ecology: Attracts bumblebees, digger bees, butterflies, and hummingbird moths; foliage unpalatable to deer and livestock; supports wetland pollinator diversity
 
Growing Conditions
Light: Full sun to part shade
Watering: Medium to high; prefers moist soils
Soil: Loamy, clay, or sandy; tolerates calcareous and poorly drained soils
Temperature: Hardy to –30°F (–34°C); dies back in winter
Humidity: High tolerance; thrives in wetland margins
Propagation: Seed, division, or cuttings; spreads readily by rhizomes
Tolerance: Flooding, seasonal saturation, aggressive colonization
 
Landscape Use Ideal for wetland restorations, stream edges, and moist native beds. Use in mass plantings or naturalized zones where spread is acceptable. Pairs well with Asclepias incarnata, Eupatorium perfoliatum, and Carex stricta.