Pink Skullcap
Scutellaria suffrutescens
- Sun
- Full Sun
- Water
- Low, Moderate, Drought tolerant once established
- Mature size
- 8–12 in tall, 12–18 in wide
- Best for
- Pollinator Plant, Drought-tolerant Landscaping, Low maintenance, Groundcover
Pink — Gallon — $10
About this size
- Gallon
- Our standard size: a 1-gallon nursery pot, about 6–7 inches across.
Pay at the nursery, plus 6.75% sales tax. Send your request and we'll confirm availability and your pickup time within 24 hours, then hold your plants. How it works
Planting & care
- Growth habit
- Low, dense, tidy mound with a slightly woody base; small, narrow, dark green leaves
- Typical bloom
- May–Oct
- Cold hardy to
- Zones 7–10
- Soil
- Excellent drainage is essential — thrives in rocky, caliche, or limestone-based soils; struggles in heavy, poorly drained clay unless amended or raised
Where to plant
Full sun — essential for a tight, compact form and the heaviest bloom. Must have excellent drainage; rocky, caliche, or limestone-based soil is ideal, amend heavy clay or plant on a slight mound if drainage is a concern.
Watering
Low to moderate. Drought tolerant once established; a little regular water in the height of summer keeps bloom going strongest.
Pruning
Light shearing after a bloom flush helps maintain the tight mound and can encourage another round of flowers.
About Pink Skullcap
For anyone who loves the tough, low-maintenance charm of a native skullcap but wants something a little different in color, Pink Skullcap delivers exactly that — true, vivid pink blooms instead of the usual blue or violet, on a plant that's just as drought tolerant and just as easy to grow. It forms a tidy, dense little mound of fine dark green foliage that stays attractive even between bloom flushes.
What really sets it apart is the bloom season — this one flowers nearly nonstop from May all the way through October, taking only the briefest pause during the hottest, driest stretches. Native to limestone hillsides in Mexico, it's perfectly at home in rocky, well-drained soil and shrugs off summer heat without complaint.
Paired with other skullcaps for a full-spectrum planting of blue, violet, and pink, or standing alone, it's a long-blooming, low-water favorite for borders and rock gardens alike.
