Hoary Skullcap

Hoary Skullcap

Scutellaria incana

Plant Type
Perennial forb (Deciduous)
Landscape Layer
Herbaceous
Sun
☀️ Full Sun, ⛅ Part Sun, ☁️ Shade
Moisture
🏜️ Dry, 💧 Regular
Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand, Rocky / Acidic
Bloom
June, July, August, September
Sociability
S3 – Small colonies

Pollinator Value

❄️ Winter Food Source
Seeds of Scutellaria are consumed by the Common Ground Dove (Columbidae), recorded at genus level. Nutlets persist into autumn and may provide minor late-season forage for ground-feeding birds.

S57 genus-level diet record; S10 nutlets released at maturity

Ecology & Conservation

Proximity Score
2
Native Status
❌ Outaouais ❌ Ottawa ❌ QC ❌ ON
Closest Direction
SW
CEC Eco-Regions
8 – Eastern Temperate Forests, 8.2 – Central USA Plains, 8.2.4 – Eastern Corn Belt Plains
Rarity Notes
Not listed under SARA. NatureServe global rank G5 (Secure). Not ranked at the national level in Canada (no Canadian national rank). Ontario and Quebec subnational ranks not available in NatureServe. The species is primarily a U.S. plant, native to 27 states, and does not appear in VASCAN as occurring in Canada.

S22 G5, no CA national rank; S26 not SARA listed; S1 no VASCAN match

Migration
Stable
Ecological Context
Hoary skullcap is a plant of dry to mesic upland forests and woodland openings in the eastern United States. It occurs on rocky slopes, dry bluffs, sandy open woods, and pinelands. In Illinois, it reaches its northern range limit and is found in higher quality natural areas including upland forests, thinly wooded bluffs, and rocky slopes along rivers.

S4 open woods, sandy areas, dry bluffs; S10 upland forests, rocky slopes, higher quality natural areas; S7 dry open forests

Permaculture & Companion Planting

Roles
Pollinator Attractor

S73/S29/S72 Evidence: Pollinator Attractor: S73 [MEDIUM]: S68 11 bee associations (threshold=3)]

Medicinal Properties

Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any plant for medicinal purposes. The information provided is compiled from secondary sources for educational purposes only.

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Category
Abortifacient, Antidiarrheal, Breast Treatment, Gynecological Aid, Kidney Aid

S28 Cherokee Drug categories

Notes
Cherokee traditional medicine employed the root extensively. Infusion of root used for monthly period and diarrhea. Decoction taken for nerves, compound applied for breast pains, compound used for expelling afterbirth, and root compound used as a kidney medicine (Hamel & Chiltoskey 1975).

S28 Moerman NAEB, Cherokee uses

Edibility & Foraging

Never ingest a plant unless you have 100% certainty of its identity and have consulted multiple reputable sources. The information provided in the Localeaf Plant Database is compiled from secondary sources for educational and historical purposes only.

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❌ Not Edible   

Foraging Notes
No edible uses documented in ethnobotanical literature. Moerman records only medicinal (Drug) uses by the Cherokee.

S28 categories=Drug only

Toxicity
△ Low Toxicity

Not listed in the Cornell poisonous plants database. Illinois Wildflowers notes that the foliage is bitter-tasting and possibly toxic to mammalian herbivores, which generally avoid it, but no specific toxins have been identified for this species.

S38 not listed; S10 bitter-tasting, possibly toxic to mammals

Seed Source

  • Ferri Seeds
Hoary Skullcap