Part Sun to ShadeZone: 5-8, at least 30" tall Origin: Japan
Open House/Web-Only!
(syn: Comanthosphace stellipilum) From the mountainous woods of Japan, here's one for the folks who are into the truly obscure. This shrubby member of the mint family acts like a perennial with 2-3' tall stems, clothed with fuzzy green leaves. Until it's ready for sex, it looks pretty dull and uninteresting (sound familiar?). Finally, in the fall (October in NC), each clump is topped with dozens of the coolest, reddish-purple, bottlebrush flower spikes! No one ever notices the shrub mint until fall, then all I hear is WHATZIT and WHERECANIGETIT? Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml)
Zone: 5-8, at least 