Teucrium scorodonia ‘Crispum’

Curly Wood Sage Lamiaceae

Teucrium scorodonia ‘Crispum’ is a wonderfully characterful selection of our native wood sage, chosen not for spectacular flowers but for its distinctively curled, waved and crested foliage. The leaves are aromatic, softly hairy and mid-green, with their irregularly puckered margins giving the plant an almost crinkled appearance. In summer, slender spikes carry small red-flushed, greenish-yellow flowers, which are considerably more interesting to bees than their modest appearance might suggest. The RHS describes it as a semi-evergreen perennial or subshrub reaching around 30 cm. 

The wild species, Teucrium scorodonia, is native across much of Europe and Madeira, including Britain and Ireland, and is typically found in dry grassland, woodland margins, heaths and open scrub. Crispum therefore retains the useful toughness of its parent while being considerably more ornamental. Kew currently treats T. scorodonia as the accepted species name. 

There is a particularly nice bit of British botanical history behind the name. ‘Crispum’ derives from the botanical variety Teucrium scorodonia var. crispum, published by the British botanist George Claridge Druce in 1917. Kew now regards that botanical name as a synonym of T. scorodonia, but the distinctive curled-leaved plant continues in horticulture under the cultivar name ‘Crispum’. 

The cultivar has consequently acquired some rather adventurous nomenclature. The RHS records _Teucrium × lucidrys ‘Crispum’ and _Teucrium fruticans ‘Crispum’ among its synonyms, although neither is a particularly helpful way of understanding the plant. The straightforward horticultural name _Teucrium scorodonia ‘Crispum’ is much preferable. 

It is an excellent plant for the front of a sunny border, gravel garden or dry bank, and is particularly useful where a small evergreen or semi-evergreen foliage plant is wanted without resorting to the usual suspects. Its tolerance of poorish, dry soils also makes it valuable in naturalistic planting, while the flowers provide nectar for pollinators.

Cultivation: Full sun in well-drained soil, preferably neutral to alkaline. It is tolerant of chalk, loam and sand and is surprisingly hardy. The foliage is best left through winter and tidied in spring. Propagate from softwood cuttings in early summer or semi-ripe cuttings in midsummer. 

Height: 25–30 cm
Spread: 30–45 cm
Flowering period: June–August
Position: Full sun
Soil: Well-drained, preferably neutral to alkaline; tolerant of chalk
Hardiness: H6
Family: Lamiaceae
Common name: Curly wood sage
Botanical history: T. scorodonia var. crispum Druce, 1917; now treated as a synonym of T. scorodonia