Monardella is a genus of approximately 40 species of annual and perennial plants native to western North America from British Columbia to northwestern Mexico. They are grown for their highly aromatic foliage, which in some species is used for herbal teas. The two-lipped, tubular flowers are formed in terminal clusters and are most usually red, pink, or purple.
Monardella follettii (Jeps.) Jokerst - northern Sierra Nevada in California
Monardella hypoleuca A.Gray - southern California, Baja California
Monardella lagunensis M.E.Jones - Baja California Sur
†Monardella leucocephala A.Gray - Meced & Stanislaus counties in California but believed to be extinct
Monardella linoides A.Gray - California, Arizona, Nevada, Baja California
Monardella macrantha A.Gray - California, Baja California
Monardella mojavensis Elvin & A.C.Sanders - Mohave Desert of southeastern California & southern Nevada
Monardella nana A.Gray - California, Baja California
Monardella odoratissima Benth. - mountain wildmint, mountain coyote mint or mountain pennyroyal - much of western North America from British Columbia south to southern California & New Mexico
Monardella palmeri A.Gray - Santa Lucia Mountains of west-central California
†Monardella pringlei A.Gray - Mohave Desert of southeastern California but believed to be extinct
Monardella purpurea Howell - Oregon, California
Monardella robisonii Epling ex Munz - Mohave Desert of southeastern California
Monardella saxicola I.M.Johnst. - southeastern California
Monardella sheltonii Torr. ex Durand - Oregon, California
Monardella sinuata Elvin & A.C.Sanders - coastal central California
Monardella siskiyouensis Hardham - northern California
Monardella stebbinsii Hardham & Bartel - Plumas County in northern California
Monardella stoneana Elvin & A.C.Sanders - San Diego County in California, Baja California
Monardella × subglabra (Hoover) Hardham - California (M. purpurea × M. villosa)
Monardella thymifolia Greene - Cedros Island in Baja California
Monardella undulata Benth. - coastal central California
Monardella venosa (Torr.) A.C.Sanders & Elvin - central California
Monardella villosa Benth. - (common) coyote mint - Oregon, California
Monardella viminea Greene - San Diego County in southern California
Monardella viridis Jeps. - northern San Francisco Bay area of California (Sonoma, Napa, Solano, & Lake Counties)
Checkerspot butterfly on monardella
Horticulture and ecology
Most like a sunny, sharply drained site and can be attractive in a rock garden or pot in the alpine house if smaller species are selected. The taller ones can be used at the front of a dry sunny border. They have reasonable frost resistance, but resent dampness in winter. Propagate from seed or summer cuttings of perennial species, or by division of clumps.
Monardella is a nectar plant for many Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), including the endangered Myrtle's silverspot (Speyeria zerene myrtleae).
Several species are rare California endemics; two, the Merced monardella (M. leucocephala) and Pringle's monardella (M. pringlei), have not been seen in many decades and are presumed extinct.
