Teucrium capitatum
Common Germander
Family: Lamiacea | Origin: Mediterranean countries, Arabian Peninsula. Very common in the wild in Israel
Common Germander is as its name suggests; you can find it growing naturally in all the hills of Israel from Mount Hermon, through the Galilee, the northern valleys and mount Carmel, the central mountain range, the coastal plain and through the Jordan river valley to the mountains of Eilat.
This is a small shrub that usually forms a low, wide cushion of small, soft leaves that are slightly serrated and covered with a whitish down that is pleasant to the touch.
The leaves have a sweet, pleasant scent and we recommend gently stroking them from time to time.
In spring, spherical, completely white clusters of buds develop at the ends of the stems, from which small white flowers emerge in spring and summer that attract various insects.
From the wide distribution of the plant in Israel (and other countries), it can be understood that it is resistant to a variety of conditions: intense cold and intense heat, scorching sun all day and partial shade, prolonged drought during a long summer, or a shorter, dry summer.
Teucrium capitatum be grown in a wild garden or in an irrigated Mediterranean garden, and even in containers, but under conditions of regular irrigation, excellent drainage must be ensured.
In Israel, and especially in its drier and warmer regions, the plant tends to dry out partially or almost completely during the summer and bloom again with the winter rains. It is therefore advisable to combine it in the garden with summer-active plants and enjoy its whitish, pleasant and modest appearance from mid-winter to mid-summer.
Its growth rate is not particularly fast, and in its maturity, within about two years it can reach a diameter of 40-50 cm and a height of 10-30 cm.
!We almost forgot
Common Germander has its own superpower: it is considered one of the most important medicinal plants in folk medicine.
The fragrant leaves can be brewed into a tea, which has a unique taste and is considered to have strong and diverse healing properties and is effective against digestive problems, colds, fever, pain, respiratory problems, and more.
We, who are not medical experts, can only recommend a delicious and soothing tea made from the whitish leaves.
By the way, the name of the genus Teucrium is reminiscent of the Trojan king Teucer, who used these plants or plants similar to them for healing.
