Wall germander

Wall germander: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Dwarf shrub 20–30 cm high and up to 40 cm wide, with woody stems at the base. Spreads slowly by underground runners.

Leaves

Small and oval with a toothed or lobed edge, glossy dark green and evergreen. They resemble oak leaves.

Flowers

Pink to purple lipped flowers in loose spikes at the tips of the stems, from June to August.

Roots

Branching and fairly shallow, with underground runners. Tolerates drought, but not wet feet.

Woodiness

With the years the base of the plant turns woody, so a light trim every year remains important.

Flowering: June–August · Plants: March–April and September–October · Pruning: April and September

Why grow it?

• Evergreen: even in January the plant stays a neat green edge or dome.
• Takes clipping very well, ideal for low edging, knot gardens and small hedges.
• Flowers pink from June to August and attracts bees and butterflies.
• Very drought tolerant: a reliable choice for a sunny, dry spot or a gravel garden.
• Low maintenance: one trim a year is enough.

Wall germander: where does it grow best?

• Full sun: the plant then stays compact and flowers best.
• Dry, free-draining soil: sand, loam or light clay, neutral to chalky.
• Wet feet are fatal: on heavy clay, work sand or fine grit into the soil.
• Tolerates wind and drought; no special shelter is needed.
• Space plants 25–30 cm apart for a low edging, or 40 cm for a single plant.

Light

Sun

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Neutral or chalky

Moisture

Dry

Size

0.3 m tall, 0.4 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -25 °C)

Goes well with

• Lavender: Same sunny, dry spot; purple flowers complement the pink.
• Roses: A low germander edging at the foot of a rose bed keeps the ground covered.
• Sheep’s fescue: Fine blue-grey grass that contrasts with the dark green leaves.
• Stonecrop: Flowers late, in August–September, on the same dry soil.
• Sage: Grey-green leaves and blue-purple flowers, just as happy on dry soil.

Wall germander: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April and September–October.

1. Plant in March–April or in September–October, when the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball; on heavy soil mix in plenty of sand or grit.
3. Set the plant at the same depth as in its pot and firm the soil well.
4. For a low edging: 25–30 cm apart, about three to four plants per metre of row.
5. Water in thoroughly, and during the first year in long dry spells.
6. Lay a thin layer of gravel or chippings around the plants instead of compost: it keeps the crown dry.

Care

Water

Only in the first year during dry weather. After that it almost always manages without watering.

Feeding

Hardly needed. On poor soil a handful of organic fertiliser in spring is enough; too much food makes growth floppy.

Mulching

Use gravel or chippings instead of compost; it keeps the crown of the plant dry.

Weeds

Keep young edgings weed-free until the plants grow together.

Clipping

One trim a year after flowering keeps the edging dense and tidy.

Tip: Clip lightly every year after flowering and never cut deep into old wood: that way the edging stays dense right down to the base. On heavy clay, work sand or grit into the soil first.

Wall germander: when to prune it?

Pruning months: April and September.

When: After flowering, in September. A light shaping trim in April is also fine, especially for edgings and knot gardens.

How:

• Clip off the spent flower spikes and about a third of the young shoots with secateurs or hedge shears.
• For a crisp edge: trim to 15–25 cm and keep the base slightly wider than the top so light reaches the bottom.
• Remove dead or damaged twigs in spring.
• To renew an old, bare plant, cut a little harder for a few years in a row, but always into green wood.

Caution: Do not cut deep into old, bare wood: it regrows poorly or not at all.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Cuttings

In July–August take semi-ripe cuttings of 5–8 cm in sandy compost; they root in 4–6 weeks.

Division or runners

In spring or autumn lift a rooted piece from the edge of the plant and replant it elsewhere.

Seed

Possible in spring, but cuttings and division give an even edging faster.

Wall germander: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −25 °C.

• Fully hardy to about −25 °C and evergreen: no protection is needed in Belgian winters.
• Wet winters are more dangerous than frost: make sure the drainage is good, especially on clay.
• In a pot: use sandy compost, stand the pot on feet so water drains away and protect it in severe frost.

Diseases and pests

• Root rot: The plant fades and dies, especially after a wet winter on heavy clay. Improve drainage with sand or grit, or move it to a drier spot.
• Bare patches: Older edgings turn bare in the middle. Trim lightly every year, fill gaps with cuttings or replace old plants.
• Floppy, leggy growth: Too much shade or too much feed. Give more sun, stop feeding and clip every year.
• Weeds in young edgings: A thin layer of gravel and regular weeding keep the edging clean until the plants meet.

Through the year

• March: Planting is possible if the soil is not too wet. Remove dead twigs.
• April: Planting. Light shaping trim of edgings.
• May: Water young plants in dry weather.
• June: Flowering begins.
• July: Full flower, plenty of bees. Take semi-ripe cuttings from late July.
• August: Last flowers. Take cuttings.
• September: Clip after flowering. Planting.
• October: Last chance to plant before winter.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Butterflies

Nectar for butterflies.

Did you know?

• The species name chamaedrys comes from Greek and means ‘ground oak’ (chamai ‘on the ground’ and drys ‘oak’): the leaves look like small oak leaves. The French name, germandrée petit-chêne, refers to the same thing.
• Germander was already used in old herb gardens and in Renaissance gardens for the low, clipped edges of knot gardens.
• It belongs to the same family as lavender, mint and sage: the mint family.