Scutellaria incana

RHS Plant Profile

hoary skullcap

Other common names

downy skullcap

Synonyms

Scutellaria canescens

Herbaceous Perennial

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An upright, clump-forming perennial to a height of 120cm, bearing rounded green leaves, with scalloped edges and white, hairy undersides. The deep blue tubular flowers are also hairy and are carried on branching stems from June to September

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Sand, Loam, Clay

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height: 0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Sand Loam Clay

Moisture: Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH: Acid or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade

Aspect: West–facing or South–facing or North–facing or East–facing
Exposure: Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H7

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Lamiaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Clump forming, Columnar upright
Genus: Scutellaria are annuals, herbaceous perennials or sub-shrubs with opposite pairs of leaves and blue, violet, yellow or white, two-lipped, tubular flowers borne in the leaf axils or in terminal spikes
Name Status: Correct
Plant Range: North America

How to Grow

Cultivation

Thrives in neutral to acidic soil in full sun if there is moisture in the soil to part shade in drier conditions

Propagation

Propagate by division in autumn or spring, or by seed in autumn

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Prairie planting
Wildlife gardens
Wildflower meadow
Low Maintenance
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

No pruning required other than cutting back the old growth at the end of the year

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids

Diseases

Generally disease-free