July Chapter Meeting: Monardella viminea (Willowy Mint)

Chapter Meeting: Monardella viminea (Willowy Mint)

Presenter: CNPSSD Member and Volunteer Lee Gordon

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Casa del Prado Rm 101, Balboa Park

6PM: Browsing and socializing

7PM: Presentation begins

Attendance is free and open to all

Monardella viminea, or willowy mint is a rare and endangered treasure thriving in a tiny area near the eastern end of the Miramar Marine Base. It is listed as endangered under both state and federal Endangered Species Acts. This presentation will showcase willowy mint in both garden settings and its natural habitat, where it typically grows in or near seasonally dry creeks. It will also cover how creek hydrology influences the plant and highlight its unique adaptations to the dynamic conditions created by fluctuating water flows. Lee will review work we have done to expand willowy mint’s habitat and to remove threatening invasive weeds, and he will discuss what we must do to ensure our willowy mint is there for future generations.

Lee Gordon has been a member of CNPSSD for 15 years and he has been working on willowy mint for the past 10 years.