About
Calamintha ascendens is a perennial herb that can grow to a height of 60 cm and spread up to 50 cm. It features a bushy growth habit with square stems that arise from the base. The leaves are oval, grayish-green, and reach lengths of up to 4 cm, characterized by blunt tips and shallow, rounded serrations along the edges, with a slightly hairy surface. From July to September, this plant produces tubular flowers that are pale pinkish or bluish, adorned with spots on the white lower lip. Each flower measures approximately 1.5 cm in length and forms whorls around the stem. Both the foliage and blooms release a minty fragrance.
About the genus
Calamintha consists of aromatic perennial plants featuring ovate foliage and loose clusters of small, two-lipped flowers that bloom during the summer and autumn in the leaf axils above.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil type
- Chalk, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained
- Aspect
- South-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Exposed, Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H5
Plant details
- Plant type
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Habit
- Bushy
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 0.5-1 metres
- Spread
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 1-2 years
- Suggested uses
- Wildflower meadow, Wildlife gardens
- Native to
- W & SC Europe to Ukraine & W Turkey
- Fragrance
- Flower, Foliage
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow in moist but well drained soil in sun or partial shade. See Creating wildflower meadows for further advice
- Pruning
- For more information see our page on cutting back herbaceous perennials
- Propagation
- Propagate by sowing seeds outdoors or in a cold frame. Divide in spring
- Pest resistance
- Generally pest-free
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free, but may be susceptible to powdery mildews