Medicinal and aromatic plants – industrial profiles

L. viridis
L’Hér.
Shrub to 30–50 cm, leaves broadly linear-lanceolate, green foliage with a distinctive dense glan-
dular indumentum giving a sticky feel with a strong smell similar to lemons. Inflorescence spike
up to 8 cm. Coma broadly ovate, fairly short 2–3 cm and green. Fertile bracts obovate or broadly
ovate greenish-white in colour. Flowers white borne over a long period in cultivation. Native to
SW Spain and South Portugal in open maquis at fairly low altitudes and Madeira.
Hybrids
(L. stoechas
L. viridis)
Many new cultivars often classified under 
L. stoechas
have been introduced into the horticultural
industry in recent years and are almost certainly hybrids between 
L. stoechas
and 
L. virdis
. Which
subspecies of 
L. stoechas
has been involved in these crosses is not always clear. However, some 
cultivars, for example, ‘St. Brelade’ the parent is known to be 
L. stoechas
subsp. 
pedunculata
. The
hybrids are reminiscent of 
L. stoechas
, but have a number of characteristics of 
L. viridis
, most
notably the distinctive strong smell; the leaves are broadly linear-lanceolate in shape and 
are often slightly viscid with a very glandular indumentum. The hybrids also have the long
flowering period (often repeat flowering) typical of 
L. viridis
.
Many of these cultivars have originated from Australia and New Zealand. Here the climate is
conducive to the outdoor cultivation of both parents and it seems likely they have freely
hybridised under these conditions. Numerous cultivars have and continue to be named (see
McNaughton, 2000 for most comprehensive listing), for example, ‘Helmsdale’ – selected in
New Zealand to 70 cm with red purple flowers, ‘Marshwood’ – selected in New Zealand, vigor-
ous to 90 cm with large flower spikes, purple flowers and pink coma, ‘Avonview’ – selected in
New Zealand to 60 cm with dark purple flowers and pale purple coma, and ‘Fathead’ – UK 
origin to 45 cm with short dense flower spikes, dark purple fading to pink.