Jocama (Teucrium heterophyllum)
Teucrium heterophyllum L'Hér. · Family: Lamiaceae
A drought-tolerant shrub of dry sunny slopes in the low and middle zones.
Where it grows on Tenerife
Grows in: South coast · North coast · South, 300–1000 m
Zones are derived approximately from the Cabildo belts.
Photos
Description
Shrub about 2 m tall, openly branched from the base. Leaves ovate-lanceolate, 2.5 cm long, densely hairy, especially on the underside, with a toothed-serrate margin. Flowers axillary, showy, red, with long stamens protruding from the corolla. Flowers in spring.
Propagation and growing
This species can be propagated from seed (preferably one year old) and also from short tip cuttings, in a cool place shaded from the sun. Germination begins in the first week. It adapts to different soil types; watering should be moderate to low and the position sunny. It is fast-growing (I. Hidalgo & F. Cabrera 2003), although it does not reach half a metre in height after one year in a container. It is not usually available in native-plant nurseries.
Garden use
With its orange-red flowers and velvety-looking leaves, it is a species of undoubted ornamental interest; added to this is its resistance to extremely dry conditions, so it can go a long time without watering. It is recommended for slopes and banks and needs little maintenance. This shrub, which can reach two metres in height, has an unusual flowering at the end of winter and in spring, bearing small but showy axillary clusters of reddish-orange flowers (a yellow-flowered form exists on Gran Canaria). It is a shrub with abundant, showy greenish-silver foliage, velvety to the touch. Alongside these aesthetic qualities come its resistance to wind, drought and a degree of air pollution, as well as its wide altitudinal range (200–800 m above sea level), which make it ideal for all kinds of landscaping. It needs no special maintenance and tolerates light pruning well.
Notes
In addition to its aesthetic qualities, the plant gives off a pleasant and very distinctive scent.
Protection status
Annex II of the Order of 20 February 1991 on the protection of wild flora of the Canary Islands.
Potential vegetation
Periploco-Euphorbietum canariensis; Junipero-Oleetum cerasiformis.
Source: Cabildo de Tenerife, “Guía de especies vegetales”, CC BY. Translated from Spanish by us.
Bioclimatic belts
Warm coastal belt
- Inframediterranean, semi-arid (lower level)
- Inframediterranean, semi-arid (upper level)
- Inframediterranean, dry, without trade-wind fog
Warm mid-slope belt
- Thermomediterranean, semi-arid (lower level)
- Thermomediterranean, semi-arid (upper level), without trade-wind fog
- Thermomediterranean, dry (lower level), without trade-wind fog
Districts
Anaga · Metropolitan area (Santa Cruz and La Laguna) · Acentejo · Daute · Teno · South-west · Abona · South-east