Damiana (Turnera diffusa) - live plant

• A live, rooted plant
• Sold as an ornamental and aromatic collector's plant
• Packaging suited to live plants

Turnera diffusa is a low shrub of dry, rocky ground, found from southern Texas to Mexico, the Caribbean and South America. It forms a branched bush of about 60 cm to 1 metre.

Its leaves are small, oval and toothed along their upper half. They bear glands that give them a pronounced aromatic scent as soon as they are crushed. Flowering, almost continuous during the warm season, produces small yellow five-petalled flowers.

Treat it as a dry-ground plant. Full sun, light and perfectly free-draining soil, sparing watering. It is used to drought and suffers far more from too much water than from too little.

It does not tolerate hard frosts: in our climate, grow it in a pot and bring it in frost-free for the winter, in a bright room that is not too warm. Prune lightly in spring to keep it compact.

Damiana is firmly rooted in Mexican popular culture, where it is notably used in a traditional liqueur from Baja California, recognisable by its bottle shaped like a female figure inspired by pre-Columbian statuettes. This is the best-known use of the plant outside its native range.

What is the difference between the plant, the dried leaves and the seeds?
Three separate products. This page offers the live plant. The dried leaves are botanical collector's material. The seeds let you sow it yourself.

Is it hardy in France?
No. It must be overwintered frost-free. In a pot, a cool conservatory or a bright room works well.

Does it need a lot of water?
No, quite the opposite. It is a plant of dry habitats: let the substrate dry out between waterings.

Does it flower easily?
Yes, as soon as it has sun and warmth, with small yellow flowers renewed throughout the warm season.

This plant is sold as an ornamental and botanical collector's plant. Also worth exploring: our aromatic plants and our rare plants.