Lesser calamint

Lesser calamint: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Compact, bushy clump 30–45 cm tall and as wide, with many thin, branching stems.

Leaves

Small, oval, grey-green and finely hairy, with a fresh minty scent.

Flower

Tiny two-lipped flowers in loose sprays along the stems, from July to October.

Colour

White to pale lilac; pale blue in some cultivars.

Roots

Fine and somewhat woody at the base; in a good spot the plant self-seeds a little.

Flowering: July–October · Harvest and fruit: May–October · Plants: March–May and September · Pruning: March–April

Why grow it?

• One of the longest-flowering perennials: from July to October.
• A real bee magnet that hums with visitors all through late summer.
• Copes with drought, heat and poor soil: ideal for a gravel garden or a path edge.
• The aromatic leaves release a fresh minty scent when you brush past.
• An airy filler plant that softens strong shapes in the border.

Lesser calamint: where does it grow best?

• Full sun: in shade the plant flops open and flowers less.
• Free-draining sandy or loamy soil, poor to moderately fertile; acid to chalky is fine.
• Dry to normal: once established it tolerates long dry spells.
• Ideal in a gravel garden, rock garden, along a terrace or path, or at the front of a sunny border.
• Plant 30–40 cm apart, in groups for the best hazy effect.

Light

Sun

Soil type

Sand or loam

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Dry or normal

Size

0.45 m tall, 0.45 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -25 °C)

Goes well with

• Lavender: The same sunny, dry spot; together a fragrant picture.
• Ice plant: Solid pink flower heads beside the airy cloud.
• Globe thistle: Steel-blue balls as a contrast.
• Feather grass: Fine grass blades and the white haze set each other off.
• Woodland sage: Purple spikes in early summer, before the calamint starts flowering.

Lesser calamint: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–May and September.

1. Plant from March to May or in September, when the soil is easy to work.
2. Loosen the soil and, on heavy ground, mix in coarse sand or gravel for drainage.
3. Set the plant at the same depth as in the pot and firm the soil.
4. Leave 30–40 cm between plants.
5. Water well and keep the soil lightly moist for the first few weeks.
6. Mulch with gravel rather than compost: it keeps the base of the plant dry.

Care

Watering

Only after planting and in pots; once established it copes even in dry summers.

Feeding

Not needed: rich soil gives soft plants that flop.

Deadheading

Not needed; the plant keeps flowering into October.

Seedlings

In spring, move seedlings or weed them out if there are too many.

Rejuvenating

After a few years the centre can become woody: divide the plant in spring.

Tip: Plant it along the edge of a path or terrace: every time you walk past, the fresh minty scent is released and you can watch the bees at work.

Lesser calamint: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March–April.

When: In March–April, when the new green shoots at the base become visible.

How:

• Cut the old, spent stems back to just above the new shoots at the base.
• Do not cut into old, woody growth that has no new shoots.
• Leave the stems standing in autumn: they protect the plant and shelter insects.

Caution: Do not prune in autumn: the plant overwinters better with its old stems on.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Seed

It self-seeds. You can also sow in a tray in March–April; barely cover the fine seed.

Division

In spring, divide older clumps with a spade and replant straight away.

Cuttings

In May–June, root 5 cm softwood cuttings of non-flowering shoots in gritty cutting compost.

Lesser calamint: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −25 °C.

• Hardy to about −25 °C: no protection is needed in Belgium.
• Wet winters are the biggest risk: make sure the soil drains freely.
• In a pot: stand the pot on feet so excess water can drain away, and shelter it from the worst of the rain.

Diseases and pests

• Rotting: The plant disappears after a wet winter. Plant in free-draining soil and mulch with gravel.
• Flopping: On rich soil or in shade the clump falls open. Do not feed and choose a sunny spot.
• Too many seedlings: In a good spot it self-seeds freely. Weed out unwanted seedlings in spring.
• Bare, woody clump: The plant ages after a few years. Divide it or replace it with a young seedling.

Through the year

• March: Cut old stems back to the new shoots. Planting.
• April: Plant or divide. Move seedlings. Sow in a tray.
• May: Take cuttings. Planting.
• June: Buds are forming. Water young plants.
• July: Flowering begins; full of bees.
• August: Full flower.
• September: Flowering. Planting.
• October: Last flowers.
• November: Leave the stems standing for winter.

Edible and useful

Leaves (May–October)

From May to October, pick the tips of the stems, with or without flowers, preferably on a dry morning. The leaves have a fresh, minty scent with a spicy note. In Tuscany, where it is called nepitella, it goes with mushrooms, artichokes and courgettes, and with grilled fish or meat. Use it fresh and sparingly: a tablespoon of chopped leaves is enough for a dish for four, added at the end of cooking. Dried, it loses much of its scent. Never cut more than a third of the plant at a time, and leave plenty of flowers for the bees.

Storing

Fresh sprigs keep for a few days in a glass of water, or wrapped in damp kitchen paper in the fridge. To dry them, hang small bunches upside down somewhere airy and out of the sun; strip off the leaves when they are crisp and keep them in a closed jar for six months.

Caution: Like pennyroyal and Corsican mint, lesser calamint contains pulegone, a substance that harms the liver in large amounts. As a kitchen herb in small amounts it is not a problem, but do not make it into a tea, cordial or liqueur to drink regularly. Not during pregnancy or breastfeeding, not for young children, and never swallow the essential oil. Only pick from your own, unsprayed plant; let a newly bought plant grow on for a few weeks first.

Eating and using is at your own risk: see the terms of use.

Recipes

• Mushrooms with nepitella (funghi trifolati) (Dish · 4 people · 20 min)
• Fried courgettes with nepitella (Dish · 4 people · 20 min)

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Butterflies

Nectar for butterflies.

Did you know?

• In Tuscany the plant is called nepitella, and its leaves are used in dishes with mushrooms and artichokes.
• The old genus name Calamintha comes from the Greek kalos, beautiful, and minthe, mint.
• It belongs to the same family as mint, thyme and sage: the dead-nettle family, with square stems.