Ballota pseudodictamnus


Ballota pseudodictamnus, the false dittany, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae, native to the southern Aegean region.

Description

A low mound-forming evergreen shrub growing to tall and wide, it bears almost circular, dished, silver-green leaves with a soft felted texture; and masses of pink flowers in late spring and early summer.
It tolerates temperatures as low as, but requires very dry conditions and sharp drainage in full sun.
The Latin specific epithet pseudodictamnus means "resembling Dictamnus". However, any superficial resemblance is only between young plants, and disappears when they reach maturity.
In cultivation in the UK, this plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Distribution

Ballota pseudodictamnus is native to dry Mediterranean regions in Europe and western Asia, including Greece, Egypt, Libya and Turkey. It is also an introduced species in the British Isles and Italy.

Names

Several common names are attached to this plant, including false dittany, false divinity, and Greek horehound.

Synonyms