lesser calamint Interesting Notes

The Perennial Plant Association's 2021 Perennial Plant of the Year®

"I hadn't been as impressed in quite a while as I was when I first met this plant in Dale Hendricks' Pennsylvania garden. The bushy mound of light green, deer-resistant, fragrant foliage, reeking of peppermint, was smothered in clouds of tiny, very light blue flowers. Our plants here in hot and muggy NC have performed equally as well, in full flower from June until October. Calamintha nepeta needs good drainage and plenty of air circulation, although this one has survived far better than other calaminthas for us. I think rock gardeners and herb lovers alike will fall in love with this gem...for me, it was love at first sight!"- Plant Delights

"Any perennial with the staying power of calamint and its airy beauty deserves accolades from more than the bees. From sunrise to sunset, from June through frost, the airy racemes of tiny, white-lipped flowers attract a motley crew of nectar seekers. Standing knee-high, the small, bushy beauty is delicate but wiry, standing up to any kind of weather, soldiering through rain, overbearing sun, muggy air and clear fall days without a hint of disease or pest problems. It softens a border as well - better than its temperamental look-alike, baby's breath, and calamint is aromatic to boot. Planted with the setting sun behind it, calamint turns into a luminous star of the evening garden. Vice versa in the morning."- Diane Heilenman, Louisville Courier-Journal

Calamintha nepeta ssp. nepeta Growing and Maintenance Tips

Calamintha is found on dry, rocky sites, but does wonderfully in average garden soil. Full sun, average fertility. Use it to underplant leggy perennials such as Echinacea.

Good Substitutions

Calamintha nepeta ssp. glandulosa 'White Cloud'