Common Name:
desert lavender
Family Name:
Lamiaceae
Botanical Name:
Condea emoryi
Sub Species:
Variety:
Forma:
Cultivar:
Characteristics:
Desert lavender is a perennial, semi-deciduous 2-3m (6-10 ft) desert shrub, that is upright, multistemmed, wiry, and characterized by branches with square stems, a feature common to members of the Lamiaceae family (2). Leaves are oppositely arranged on the stems, oval-shaped, with crenate (rounded-toothed) margins, and 3 cm (1 in) long, becoming smaller and rugose (wrinkled) on the lower leaf surface under drought stress (4). Stems, leaves, bracts, and calyces are covered with stellate pubescence (star-shaped small hairs) giving them a velvety, silver-grey color, and the leaves are aromatic when crushed (1,2,4). From winter to late spring, inflorescences are clustered in short 40-140 cm tall (4-14 in) terminal and axillary spikes on the ends of the stems (1,2). Flowers are 3 cm (1 in) long, blue-violet, and have bilabiate corollas with 5 lobes (4). The fruit are oblong, 2mm long by 1 mm wide, brown nutlets in hairy capsules (2,3).
Compound:
Geographic Origin:
Ecozone Origin:
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Natural History:
Desert lavender can grow to 900m-1500 m (3000-5000 ft) elevation (4). Desert lavender is native to southeast California and Nevada, western Arizona, and along the western side of Sonora, Mexico (1). It typically grows in dry and rocky slopes, washes, and canyons where the soil is sandy and quick-drying with full sun (1,4). Its’ habitat is also commonly populated with saguaro, jojoba, hopseed, bush dalea, paperflower, and Wright’s bee bush (6). The nectar from the flowers is an important food source for pollinators such as bees and butterflies; Desert lavender is the host plant for the Gray Hairstreak Butterfly (3). The genus Hyptis originates from the Greek word ‘hupitos’ which means ‘turned back’, describing the curling of the flower’s lower lobes (8). The specific epithet honors Major William Hensley Emory, an Army officer in the 1800s and director of the Mexican Boundary Survey (8).
Cultivation Notes:
Desert lavender is considered an easily cultivated, low-maintenance plant as it is heat and drought-resistant (1). C. emoryi grows in the USDA Hardiness zones 8-10 and prefers to grow in full sun in sandy,well-drained soils (1,3). C. emoryi is marginally frost tolerant, its minimum temperature range should be around -4℃ (25℉) (2). Water needs are low; however, new shrubs should be watched closely in their first hot season and watered weekly (5). Transition to monthly water once the plant has established itself, too much water will give the plant leggy growth (3). Desert lavender can be propagated from its seeds or softwood cuttings (3).
Ethnobotany:
Desert lavender has a well-documented history of ethnobotanical use. The plant’s leaves and flowers can be steeped in water to make an herbal tea (1). Evidence suggests that the Seri people traditionally used this tea to treat conditions such as colds, asthma, rapid breathing, toothaches, and even to improve hearing (6,9). Additionally, the Seri utilized the flowers to dye baskets, while the branches were used for fishing and hunting (9). Early Spanish settlers also valued the plant for its pleasant aroma, using it to soothe ill patients (6). The Cahuilla people, on the other hand, made infusions from the leaves and flowers as a remedy for hemorrhages (7). The Lamiaceae family is well-known for its wide variety of bioactive compounds, including terpenoids, alkaloids, and flavonoids (10). These compounds contribute to the plant's antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antitumor properties (10). Within this family, the genus Hyptis is particularly notable for its essential oils, which possess strong antiseptic properties and are commonly used to treat gastrointestinal infections and muscle pain (10).
Height:
6 - 10 feet
Width:
6 - 10 feet
Growth Rate:
Moderate Growing
Grow Season:
Spring
Flower Season:
Spring
Color:
Lavender
Function:
Habitat
Spread:
Non-spreading
Allergen:
Non-allergenic
Invasive:
Benign
Toxicity:
Benign
Hardy:
Hardy
Water Use:
Low water Use
