Horehound (Marrubium supinum)
Care, watering, light and tips for Horehound on Floravia.
Quick facts
- Family: Lamiaceae
- Difficulty: Easy to care for
- Watering: every 14 days
- Light: Full sun
- Temperature: 5–35 °C
About Horehound
Marrubium supinum, also known as Prostrate Horehound, is a herbaceous perennial plant from the Lamiaceae family, endemic to the Iberian Peninsula. It is characterized by its prostrate or ascending stems covered in a dense white tomentum, and its small white or pinkish flowers clustered in whorls. It is ideal for rock gardens, gravel gardens, or as ground cover in dry, sunny areas, providing a distinctive silvery texture and color.
Native range
Spain (Iberian Peninsula)
Care tips
This species thrives in full sun and well-drained soils, even poor or calcareous ones, being highly drought-resistant. Watering should be sparse, allowing the substrate to dry out completely between waterings to prevent waterlogging, to which it is very sensitive. A common mistake is overwatering, which can rot its roots; it is preferable to underwater than to overwater. It does not require frequent fertilization, adapting well to low fertility conditions.
How to save a dying Horehound
- Warning signs
- Yellowing, dropping leaves, soft stems. May indicate overwatering or root rot.
- First aid
- Remove dead leaves. Ensure good drainage and ventilation. Drastically reduce watering until soil dries.
- What kills it
- Marrubium hates excess moisture. Constant waterlogging quickly rots its roots.
- Can it be saved?
- Yes, if you act fast. It needs full sun, good drainage, and to be ignored with watering.