Yerba mansa is an unusual plant found in aquatic environments but adaptable to garden conditions. It can be fun to watch if you fancy making a wetland in a pot. Its odd cone shaped flowers are displayed on upright stems to one foot tall. Yerba mansa is native to creek and pond edges and found in the outer reaches of Alameda County. It spreads by strawberry like stolons and will colonize areas with enough moisture. Once the plants dry up, as they will when the soil dries out, trim back old stems and foliage to make room for next year’s growth. A great candidate for a wetland planter, bio-swales or grey water catchments. Try with yellow eyed grass, cardinal monkey flower and coast hedge-nettle.