Greek Mountain Tea (Sideritis syriaca), packet of 20 seeds, Organic
$3.95
Family: Mint (Lamiaceae)
Hardy to Zones 7 to 10
Woody perennial growing to 18 inches, native to the mountains surrounding the Mediterranean sea, especially the Peloponnese. A comely plant, highly desired for those of us blessed with hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters. Tea of dried flowering tops is sweetish and pleasant. Traditional usage (TWM): colds and restless insomnia. Plant prefers full sun and very fast draining soil of raised bed or rockery, needing water to establish but drought tolerant once established. Plant prefers full sun. In the spring or anytime in warm soils, scarify seed on medium grit sandpaper, then sow in pots or flats. Barely cover, tamp well and keep warm, evenly moist and in the light until germination, which occurs in about 10 days. Individuate seedlings to gallon pots and grow until sufficiently sized to transplant successfully to garden or landscape. Space plants 18 inches apart.
20 seeds per packet, Certified Organically Grown
In stock
Kristen –
I’ve had plants of Greek Mountain tea in my garden for 4 winters now and we’re technically a z. 5 although the last few winters have been mild. I’m at 8K in the rocky mountains. It doesn’t grow like gangbusters or anything but it does OK! I was concerned it may be one of those plants that doesn’t like to be wet all winter (we do get solid snowcover) but it seems to be tolerating it.
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Richo Cech –
Hi Kristen,
I was thinking about greek mountain tea this morning because we’re tryi9ng to figure out which plants can go into the field at this time of year, when some frost may still occur. Actually, any pubescent plant like this (Stachys byzantina would be another good example) is usually quite frost hardy, due to the protection afforded the leaves. Its always nice to hear when people are able to cultivate plants outside the recommended zones. I think everyone should keep this potential in mind. The zones given are just a general recommendation–the true acid test is to plant it and see what happens. Richo
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julie –
Purchased plants, sited in the unheated greenhouse, zone 5, have been mostly fine. We had a cold winter a few years ago, down to -15, which killed all the Hill’s Hardy rosemary planted next to it, this died back some, but survived. It is starting to reseed.
The scent of this is one of my favorites on earth, and it makes a wonderful mild tea.
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mike burridge –
I bought some seeds about 9 months ago, and I am stoked on the results, Try to give the plant all day sun
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Allegra –
This plant has so many advantages I hardly know where to begin:
Soft, velvety, bluish-white foliage with odd curving flower spikes of soft yellow that attract all manner of small pollinators — a beautiful perennial white-foliage plant
Exceptional drought tolerance
Flowers make a pleasant, relaxing tea
Spreads beautifully over the ground and seems easy to please as to soil (I have it in a fast-draining, coarse soil w/ a pH of 7.5); cascades over the side of raised beds
Blooms all year in zone 9, and very heavily in late spring and summer.
It forms low, dense clumps with a nice understory where I have found hordes of spiders hunting other denizens of the dark. For those with a naturalist bent it’s a fascinating laboratory but in any case providing a sheltered spot for spiders in the garden is always a good idea.
I have found literally no downside to this plant. Other than dead-heading the flower spikes occasionally I give it as little care as any plant I’ve ever grown. I water it once a month or so from June to September and don’t fertilize it at all now that the plants are fully established. It gives a lot and asks for very little in return.
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