Monardella linoides

Monardella linoides is a species of flowering plant in the mint family (Lamiaceae) known by the common names flaxleaf monardella and narrow leaf monardella. It is native to southern California and adjacent sections of Nevada, Arizona, and Baja California, where it grows in many types of habitat from desert flats to subalpine forests. It is a gray-green perennial herb producing a slender erect stem up to about 50 centimeters in maximum height. The linear to oval leaves are 1 to 4 centimeters long and coated in grayish hairs. The flower cluster is a head of several flowers blooming in a cup of pale whitish or pink-tinged papery leafs 2 or 3 centimeters wide. The flowers are just over a centimeter long and light purple in color. There are several subspecies of this plant. One closely related separate species called Monardella viminea (willowy monardella), is a rare plant limited to northern Baja California and parts of San Diego, California. It is treated as a federally listed endangered species in the United States. All are low growing, highly aromatic herbs that like afternoon shade, look great in a rock garden and also do well in containers.