Conradina canescens aka False Rosemary

Conradina canescens is an evergreen shrub in the mint family. Its common names include false rosemary and gray rosemary. Its native range runs from southeast Mississippi to northwest Florida. It also grows in Alabama within that coastal range. Wild plants grow on sandy dunes, sandhills, and scrubland. The shrub looks like culinary rosemary, but crushed leaves smell minty. The name canescens refers to its pale hairs.

Plants grow 2–3 feet [0.61–0.91 metres] tall and wide. Their growth rate is moderate, and the form spreads outward. Many stiff, upright, woody stems make up each shrub. These stems have square cross sections and fine hairs. Their color ranges from green to reddish brown. The small leaves grow in pairs along the stems. Each leaf is narrow, simple, and smooth along its edges. Fine hairs give the green foliage a gray or silver cast. Leaves reach about 0.04 feet [0.013 metres] in length. The foliage stays on the plant through the year.

Flowers can appear from March through November. They grow where the leaves join the stems. Each scented bloom has fused petals forming two lips. The pale flowers combine white with shades of purple. Dark purple spots mark the three-lobed lower lip. The upper lip holds the stamens within it. Fine hairs cover the fused sepals beneath each flower. The fruit is a schizocarp with tiny, dry nutlets. Native bees and other pollinators visit the flowers. The plant also provides habitat for the beach mouse.

Give false rosemary full sun and freely draining sandy soil. It suits dry sites and withstands drought well. The source lists neutral soil as its preference. It needs at least six hours of direct sun daily. Its listed hardiness range is USDA zones 8a–9b. Seeds and stem cuttings offer two ways to raise plants. Its low care needs suit gardens with little routine upkeep.

In its coastal range, false rosemary can serve as groundcover. Its fine foliage also suits borders and rock gardens. Containers and dry gardens offer other uses for this shrub. The long bloom season adds flowers across three seasons. NC State reports no major insect or disease concerns. It also lists resistance to deer browsing. Plants can be short-lived despite their low care needs.