Condea emoryi aka Chia

Condea emoryi is an evergreen shrub in the mint family. The family name is Lamiaceae. Its native range takes in California, Arizona, and northwestern Mexico. It grows in deserts and dry shrublands in southwestern North America. Its woody shape, woolly leaves, and scent help define it. It keeps its leaves rather than having bare branches each season.

The shrub has a round shape but looks loose and straggly. Branches grow upright within this rounded shape and give it height. Most plants reach about 10 feet [3 metres] tall. Large plants can reach 20 feet [6.1 metres]. This is an extreme height, not the size most plants reach. The way the branches grow gives the shrub a less dense outline. The bark and young twigs are both gray-brown. A woolly coat covers the twigs and gives the stems texture.

The leaves grow in pairs on each side of the stems. Each leaf is simple: it has one blade, not separate leaflets. Leaves range from an egg shape to a rough triangle. They reach about 1.5 inches long. A thick coat of woolly hairs covers both leaf surfaces. The term for this coat is tomentose. Both sides can look gray-green or blue-green. Thus, the colour does not depend on which side you view. The leaves give off a scent like that of lavender.

The pale purple flowers have a strong scent. Each bloom can reach up to one inch long. Flowers grow at leaf axils, the points where leaves meet stems. Some grow alone, while others form spikes at those points. The flower stems thus bear blooms in more than one way. The account calls this species monoecious, with both sexes on one plant. The fruits are small brown nutlets that sit within husks. These small fruits contrast with the larger blooms and their scent.

The evidence says more about its wild home than garden care. It gives no tested range for hardiness or season for bloom. It gives no guidance on soil, light, or water in gardens. No supplied account shows which parts, if any, people can eat. None confirms that the plant is safe for people or pets. Nor do the accounts name any specific pests or diseases.