Satureja douglasii

This pretty woodland groundcover (whose name means ?good herb?) has purple-tinted, aromatic leaves (once used for tea); roots where it touches. S-PSh/M

This prostrate herbaceous perennial grows to 1 foot tall to 6 feet wide. It's landscape uses include planting along borders, ground covers, under conifers, oaks, and around rocks in a woodland setting. Yerba buena spreads by stolons and takes low amounts of foot traffic. It also needs some summer water, unless exposed to fog. The natural habitat for this plant is in the understory of conifers, oaks, bays and madrones. Leaves are quite delicious seeped for tea. From LA to BC The minty flavor of this ground cover makes it unpalatable to deer and the small white flowers provide nectar for bees and moths. Decoctions of plant parts used by many Native American groups to treat colds, fever, insomnia, upset stomach, toothaches, as an aphrodisiac, and to purify the blood. Found in found in shaded woods. Communitites located in Northern Coastal Scrub, Closed-cone Pine Forest,Mixed Evergreen/Redwood Forest, Chaparral below 3,000 feet.

Reputed to possess medicinal qualities, the leaves were used by early settlers to brew a pleasing tea. Creeping perennial with slender, rooting stems and round leaves with a scalloped edge. Plants have a strong, minty aroma when crushed. Consider a planting near the entrance to a house to allow the aroma to enter the home on shoes and clothing. Small white flowers appear April through September. Best in sun or part shade near the coast and full shade inland. Rich, moist soils for best appearance. Noted for inspiring San Francisco's original name of Yerba Buena. Useful as attractive small-scale groundcover or spilling over walls. Regular water. Hardy to 10F. Los Angeles to British Columbia.

Well, I just think you have to grow some “Yerba Buena.” CLAY, SAND & SHADE TOLERANT, it also grows under oaks & makes a lush, flat, evergreen groundcover for shade, spreading to 6’ across & up to 2’ tall. Fantastic used as a trailer, especially over a shady wall, you can even grow it in a hanging basket. It roots along the stems, not by rhizomes & is not invasive. The rich, green, scalloped leaves are held oppositely on the stems & little, flaring, tubular, white to purple flowers appear Summer thru Fall. Easy, tough & long lived, it smells heavenly & makes a healthful & tasty, mint-like tea. Used medicinally by native people for indigestion, insomnia, fevers, colds, arthritic pain & toothaches. Very pretty & deer resistant, too! It’s perfect in every way! Just give an annual bit of compost & cut back occasionally to promote bushiness. Drought tolerant, but best with some Summer water.