Monardella villosa
Encyclopedia
Monardella villosa is a plant in the mint family
which is known by the common name coyote mint.
This is a perennial wildflower found only in California, except for one subspecies which sometimes occurs in Oregon
. It grows in habitat
s of the California chaparral and woodlands
in the California Coast Ranges and Sierra Nevada foothills.
tangle of hairy mint-scented foliage. It produces rounded inflorescence
s of small, thready, bright lavender or pink flowers.
This plant was used by the Indigenous peoples of California
as a remedy for stomach upset, respiratory conditions, and sore throat. It may also be steeped into a bitter mint tea
.
for native plant
, drought tolerant, natural landscape
, and habitat gardens; and for ecological restoration projects.
Lamiaceae
The mints, taxonomically known as Lamiaceae or Labiatae, are a family of flowering plants. They have traditionally been considered closely related to Verbenaceae, but in the 1990s, phylogenetic studies suggested that many genera classified in Verbenaceae belong instead in Lamiaceae...
which is known by the common name coyote mint.
This is a perennial wildflower found only in California, except for one subspecies which sometimes occurs in Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. It grows in habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
s of the California chaparral and woodlands
California chaparral and woodlands
The California chaparral and woodlands is a terrestrial ecoregion of lower northern, central, and southern California and northwestern Baja California , located on the west coast of North America...
in the California Coast Ranges and Sierra Nevada foothills.
Description
Monardella villosa forms a small bush or matted groundcoverGroundcover
Groundcover refers to any plant that grows over an area of ground, used to provide protection from erosion and drought, and to improve its aesthetic appearance .- Ecosystem :...
tangle of hairy mint-scented foliage. It produces rounded inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
s of small, thready, bright lavender or pink flowers.
Uses
The flowers are attractive to butterflies, with the nectar a food for them.This plant was used by the Indigenous peoples of California
Indigenous peoples of California
The Indigenous peoples of California are the indigenous inhabitants who have lived or currently live in the geographic area within the current boundaries of California before and after the arrival of Europeans. With over one hundred federally recognized tribes, California has the largest Native...
as a remedy for stomach upset, respiratory conditions, and sore throat. It may also be steeped into a bitter mint tea
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
.
Cultivation
Monardella villosa is cultivated in by specialty plant nurseries and available as an ornamental plantOrnamental plant
Ornamental plants are plants that are grown for decorative purposes in gardens and landscape design projects, as house plants, for cut flowers and specimen display...
for native plant
California native plants
California native plants are plants that existed in California prior to the arrival of European explorers and colonists in the late 18th century...
, drought tolerant, natural landscape
Natural landscaping
.Natural landscaping, also called native gardening, is the use of native plants, including trees, shrubs, groundcover, and grasses which are indigenous to the geographic area of the garden.-Maintenance:...
, and habitat gardens; and for ecological restoration projects.