Satureja douglasii – Yerba Buena

Satureja douglasii – Yerba Buena

A beloved California native herb with a long history of culinary and medicinal use, Yerba Buena fills the garden with a delightful minty fragrance as it spreads into a soft, mat-forming groundcover. White to lavender flowers bloom from spring through fall, attracting pollinators while the plant quietly does the work of covering ground, suppressing weeds, and tolerating light foot traffic. Adaptable to sand, clay, and loamy soils, and one of the few California natives that thrives in shade — making it invaluable for understory plantings and woodland gardens. Also known as Clinopodium douglasii.

Key Features:

• Evergreen perennial herb, California native (syn. Clinopodium douglasii)
• Deer resistant
• Culinary and medicinal uses — minty fragrance and flavor
• Mat-forming, takes light foot traffic
• Tolerates sand, clay, and loamy soils
• Shade tolerant — excellent for understory and woodland gardens
• Good for groundcover, containers, and rock gardens

Growing Details:
Height: 2-8" | Spread: 1-3'
Exposure: Part shade to full shade | Water: Moderate
Bloom time: Spring–fall | Bloom color: White to lavender
USDA Hardiness Zone: 7-11