Dittany
Cunila origanoides

Height: 1 ft
Spread: 1 ft
Bloom Time: August-October
Sunlight: Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Very Dry
​Life Cycle: Perennial

Dittany is a short, bushy perennial that grows around 1 foot tall. It can grow well in seemingly inhospitable dry conditions of steep banks and rocky ground and can even thrive in shallow soil. Dittany most often occurs in open woods and on woodland edges but can also grow in clearings and on open banks. Its leaves have a minty fragrance, and the plants have dark-colored, wiry stems. The light purple flowers bloom in late summer and fall. This species can produce a phenomenon called "frost flowers," which are ribbon-like structures that emerge from the stem during the first frost of the year. These are caused by the plant's sap being frozen and bursting from its stem. This species is also sometimes called Wild Oregano or Stonemint. Deer Resistant.