Known for the small, cap-like ridge on its flowers, Skullcap is a member of the mint family. The variety used here is the North American Skullcap often called Mad-Dog Skullcap, a plant that prefers moist places like stream edges, damp meadows, and woodland margins. Slender stems carry opposite leaves and small blue to lavender flowers that often open along one side of the stalk~a habit echoed in lateriflora, meaning side-flowering. Skullcap belongs to the genus Scutellaria, a group with many species native to different regions, so the exact variety matters. The genus name comes from Latin for a small dish or shield, a nod to the little cap formed at the flower base. In the cup, it steeps a light, straw-tinted infusion with a gentle, leafy aroma and a mild, clean taste.
