Hairy Skullcap Scutellaria elliptica
- Phonetic Spelling
- skew-teh-LARE-ee ee-LIP-tih-kuh
- Description
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Hairy Skullcap is a wildflower in the mint family native to the central and eastern U.S.A. and is found growing along rocky woodlands, bluffs, wooded slopes, and rocky areas along streams. This plant will grow up to 2.5 feet tall and produce a raceme of blue to purple two-lipped hooded flowers. The leaves, stem and flowers all have hairs but the amount varies depending on what part of the country it is growing. The fruit is a 2-parted capsule containing 4 nutlets.
This plant prefers part shade in rocky to sandy soils with some organic material in a woodland-type setting. Even though it is often found growing along streams, it needs well-drained soils and doesn't tolerate standing water. Use this plant in a part shade or woodland garden in small groupings, in the border or on a slope.
The foliage of this plant has a bitter taste so is often ignored by deer and rabbits.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No Significant problems
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Scutellaria
- Species:
- elliptica
- Family:
- Lamiaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Central and eastern U.S.A.
- Distribution:
- AL, AR, DC, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MI, MO, MS, NC, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV
- Wildlife Value:
- This plant is a larval host for moths. Bees and butterflies visit the flowers.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Wildflower
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- Less than 12 inches
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- 2-parted capsule contains nutlets. The top section falls off to disperse the seeds leaving the lower scoop section on the plant. Fruit displays from summer to fall.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Blue
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Lipped
- Tubular
- Flower Petals:
- 2-3 rays/petals
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Purple and blue flowers bloom from May to July in a 4-inch long raceme. Individual flowers are up to 3/4 inches, 2-lipped with the upper one hooded and the lower one having white blotches. The calyx has long, spreading glandular hairs.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Oblong
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Crenate
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Green leaves are 1.5-3 inches long and 3/4 to 1.5 inches wide. Margins are crenate to serrate, the shape is lanceolate-oblong to oval, the base is rounded to broadly wedge-shaped (cuneate) and the tip is blunt. The underside of the leaf is paler with hairs. The upper surface is dotted with glands.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Square
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Square green stems often have purple markings along the ridges. The purple coloring is more prominent in the spring, then fades in summer.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Slope/Bank
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Rock Garden
- Shade Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Small groups
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Rabbits
