Condea emoryi – “Desert Lavender”

Other Botanical Names: Hyptis emoryi
Family: Mint (Lamiaceae a.k.a. Labiatae)
Bloom Period: Jan-May
Form: Perennial shrub
Habitat: Washes and canyons
Leaves: Ovate, toothed; opposite
Translation: “Hyptis” is Greek for “turned back,” which refers to the flower’s lower lip; “emoryi” is named for Major William Hemsley Emory (1812-1887), an army careerist who participated in the genocidal removal of the Creek Indians from Georgia, directed the Mexican Boundary Survey, and fought for the Confederacy in the Civil War.
Native American Uses: The Cahuilla drank an infusion of the flowers and leaves for hemorrhages.
Animal Associations: Generous nectar source for Honey Bees and hummingbirds, including Costa’s Hummingbird. Host plant for Gray Hairstreak butterfly.