Description
Scutellaria lateriflora has an upright habit, wetland-loving species.
Scutellaria lateriflora, known commonly as blue skullcap, mad dog skullcap, and side-flowering skullcap, is a hardy perennial herb of the mint family, Lamiaceae, native to North America. The stems are light green to pale reddish-green, 4-angled, and hairless or sparsely canescent; they have a tendency to sprawl.
The blades of the opposite leaves cordate-ovate to broadly lanceolate, hairless, and coarsely serrated along the margins. Both terminal and axillary racemes of flowers are produced by the upper stems. Each flower is consisting of a tubular corolla and a tubular calyx. The corolla is pale blue, lavender, or white; it has short upper and lower lips. The lower is lip is often white, while the upper lip is often a slightly darker color.Plant Specifications
| Common Name | Blue skullcap, mad dog skullcap, side-flowering skullcap |
| Maximum Reachable Height | 1 to 2.5 feet |
| Flower Colour | Pale blue, lavender, or white |
| Bloom Time | July Aug Sept |
| Difficulty Level | Easy to grow |
Planting and care
Mad care
The preference is light shade to full sun, wet to moist conditions, and soil with abundant organic matter. Shallow rocky or gravelly soil is tolerated if it retains moisture during dry spells. Loosen the soil to a depth of 12 to 15 inches. The deep planting encourages the developing stem to send out roots to help stabilize the plant and perhaps eliminate the need for staking. Also, deep planting keeps plant bulbs cool when temperatures soar.
| Sunlight | Full Sun to Partial Shade |
| Watering | Medium |
| Soil | Well-drained soil |
| Temperature | 48 to 70 degrees F |
| Fertilizer | Apply any organic fertilizer |
Mad special feature
Corolla
Mad uses
Ornamental Use:
- The plant is used for an ornamental purpose