Ballota pseudodictamnus
Ballota pseudodictamnus, the false dittany, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae, native to the southern Aegean region. Description. A low mound-forming evergreen shrub growing to tall and wide, it bears almost circular, dished, silver-green leaves with a soft felted texture; and masses of pink flowers (which are mostly hidden by the leaves) in late spring and early summer. It tolerates temperatures as low as , but requires very dry conditions and sharp drainage in full sun. The Latin specific epithet "pseudodictamnus" means "false dittany". In this case, the resemblance is to the  classical dittany of Crete, "Origanum dictamnus", not to the much more distantly related genus "Dictamnus" in the family Rutaceae. In cultivation in the UK, this plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Distribution. "Ballota pseudodictamnus" is native to dry Mediterranean regions in Europe and western Asia, including Greece (South Aegean), Egypt, Libya and Turkey. It is also an introduced species in the British Isles and Italy (Sicily). Names. Several common names are attached to this plant, including false dittany, false divinity, and Greek horehound.