Scutellaria integrifolia
A native eastern United States perennial herb in the mint family with bluish-lavender two-lipped flowers that attract bees, preferring well-drained soils in full to partial sun, and distributed across temperate habitats from Massachusetts to peninsular Florida and west to eastern Texas.
Common Names
Helmet Flower, Helmet Skullcap, Hyssop Skullcap, Large Skullcap
Summary
Helmet Skullcap (Scutellaria integrifolia) is a native eastern United States herbaceous perennial in the mint family that typically grows 1 to 2 feet tall with square, erect stems and opposite, narrow leaves, a basal rosette of arrow-shaped leaves is often present, bluish-lavender, two-lipped flowers appear in racemes or clusters in the upper leaf axils and resemble a helmet, blooming May through July, and the plant is found in pine woods, savannas, bogs, and roadsides, being a prolific self-seeder that also spreads by rhizomes while providing nectar and pollen to bees and serving as a larval host plant for certain butterflies, in cultivation Helmet Skullcap prefers full sun to partial shade and moist, well-drained soils, tolerating a wide moisture range from dry to moist and not tolerant of prolonged flooding, it can be propagated by seed or cuttings and self-seeds readily, making it suitable for native or pollinator gardens and naturalistic landscapes, it attracts bees and moths and supports butterflies, with hardiness zones 6a–9b, making it well-suited for eastern and southern gardenings
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
12-24 inches
Spread
12-24 inches
Hardiness Zones
Zones 6a-9b
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally full sun, tolerates partial sun, tolerates partial shade
Soil Type
No single ideal soil; tolerates a wide range of soils, generally moist to well-drained.
Soil Drainage
Moist to well-drained soil
Soil pH
5-6.5, Acidic soil
Bloom Color
Blue
Bloom Time
Spring and Summer
Foliage Color
Green (dark to lime green; includes bright green and rich green)
Leaf Lifecycle
Other
Growth Rate
Fast
Seasons of Interest
Spring and Summer
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Stem cuttings, Vegetative propagation via rhizomes
Attracts Wildlife
Bees, other pollinators, birds
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- L.
- Publication
- Sp. Pl. : 599 (1753)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Lamiales
- Family
- Lamiaceae
- Genus
- Scutellaria
Synonyms
Scutellaria caroliniana Scutellaria hyssopifolia Scutellaria hyssopifolia var. hispida Scutellaria integrifolia var. glabriuscula Scutellaria integrifolia subsp. hispida Scutellaria integrifolia var. hispida Scutellaria integrifolia var. hyssopifolia Scutellaria integrifolia var. major Scutellaria integrifolia f. rhodantha Scutellaria integrifolia var. floridana Scutellaria polymorpha Scutellaria integrifolia subsp. typica