Teucrium polium

L.

Germander

LamiaceaeLeavesFlowersSpice/Beverage
Teucrium polium
iNaturalist · cc-by-nc
(c) Виктор, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Виктор
Teucrium polium
iNaturalist · cc-by
(c) Marios Thoma, some rights reserved (CC BY)
Teucrium polium
iNaturalist · cc-by
(c) Marios Thoma, some rights reserved (CC BY)

What to Eat

Edible parts: Leaves - tea, Leaves - spice, Flowers - spice

The plant can be mixed with boiled water and sugar to make a refreshing beverage, and is also used as a spice.

Where to Find It

It is a Mediterranean climate plant. It grows in the Sahara.

Africa, Armenia, Asia, Bahrain, Balkans, Caucasus, Europe, Iran, Macedonia, Mediterranean, Middle East, Morocco, North Africa, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sinai, Spain, Turkey, Türkiye,

Countries: Andorra, United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Albania, Armenia, Angola, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bangladesh, Belgium, Burkina Faso, Bulgaria, Bahrain, Burundi, Benin, Brunei, Bhutan, Botswana, Belarus, Congo (DRC), Central African Republic, Congo (Republic), Switzerland, Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon, China, Cape Verde, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Djibouti, Denmark, Algeria, Estonia, Egypt, Eritrea, Spain, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, United Kingdom, Georgia, Ghana, Gambia, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Greece, Guinea-Bissau, Croatia, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, India, Iraq, Iran, Iceland, Italy, Jordan, Japan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, Comoros, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Sri Lanka, Liberia, Lesotho, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Libya, Morocco, Monaco, Moldova, Montenegro, Madagascar, North Macedonia, Mali, Myanmar, Mongolia, Mauritania, Malta, Mauritius, Maldives, Malawi, Malaysia, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Netherlands, Norway, Nepal, Oman, Philippines, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Serbia, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Sudan, Sweden, Singapore, Slovenia, Slovakia, Sierra Leone, San Marino, Senegal, Somalia, South Sudan, Sao Tome & Principe, Syria, Eswatini, Chad, Togo, Thailand, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Taiwan, Tanzania, Ukraine, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How to Identify

A woolly looking herb. It grows 20-40 cm high. The stems branch at the base. The leaves are whitish-green and hairy. They have a wavy edge. The flowers are white with a tinge of yellow in the middle of the bottom lip.

How to Grow

Succeeds in any moderately good well-drained soil in full sun. Plants require a very well-drained soil. Requires an alkaline soil. A very variable species with a number of distinct sub-species. The bruised foliage releases a pleasant aromatic scent. Plants are sub-shrubs, retaining a woody base but the stems often dying back in the winter. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus.

Propagation: Sow seed in spring in a cold frame, barely covering it. Prick out seedlings into individual pots when large enough to handle, and plant out in summer if sufficiently developed; otherwise overwinter in the cold frame and plant out the following spring. Divide in early spring — larger divisions can go directly into permanent positions, while smaller ones are best potted up and grown on in light shade in a greenhouse or cold frame until growing well, then planted out in summer or the following spring. Half-ripe cuttings can be taken in July or August and rooted in a frame.

Medicinal Uses

A liquid extract of the plant has been used in the treatment of fungal diseases and abscesses.

Other Uses

None known

Wikipedia

Source ↗

Teucrium polium, known popularly as felty germander, is a sub-shrub and herb native to the western Mediterranean region (Albania, North Macedonia, Spain, France, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia). Its flowers are small and range from pink to white, and its leaves are used in cooking and for medicine.

Notes

The leaves are used in medicine. The dried leaves are boiled and used as tea.

Names & Synonyms

Bojnak, Cade, Giyahabo, Ja-ad, Ja'adah, Jedeh subian, Mariamakhot, Merven, Meyremxort, Poleo de monte, Tealik, Timo, Timonet, Urper, Ya-ad

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