Calamintha nepeta subsp. nepeta

Among the most outstanding plants for the late-summer and fall garden is Calamintha nepeta subsp. nepeta. Its 18" stems present a cloud of dainty, lavender-and-white flowers that start blooming in August and under favorable conditions (warm weather and regular deadheading) can continue without pause until frost. The leaves are a soft mid-green that always looks fresh. When crushed, they give off a rush of tart, minty fragrance that works like smelling salts on a hot day. For that reason alone, Calamintha is a fine choice for the front of borders, where a pinch is always at hand. 2021 Perennial Plant Association Plant of the Year®.

Calamintha is a genus of about 8 species in the Mint family native to Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia. These flowering herbaceous perennials are generally found in grasslands, scrubs, and woodlands across these temperate regions, explaining their heat and drought tolerance. Pollinators including bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds make ample use of the small but profuse two-lipped tubular flowers that keep blooming all summer and into fall.

For more information on the growing and care of Calamintha, click Growing Guide.

We want our customers to receive strong, healthy plants that are ready to thrive in their gardens and homes. Here's what we'd like you to know about our shipping practices.

Delivery Timing

We aim to deliver your plants at as close to the proper time for planting in your area as possible. To do so, we consider the USDA Hardiness Zone to which we're shipping, current and forecasted weather at the destination and along the shipping route, and whether your plants are ready for transplant.

In spring, we ship first to the warmest regions and move north as planting conditions improve. For fall deliveries, we begin with the coolest regions and work south. We frequently adjust shipping schedules when extreme weather could put plants at risk while in transit or soon after arrival.

Because different plants reach readiness at different rates and are weather-sensitive in varying degree, a single order may be delivered via multiple shipments. Plants sold as part of a collection, or that are otherwise meant to arrive together, will be shipped together. Please contact our customer service team with two weeks' advance notice if you anticipate being away at the expected time of delivery. 

Tracking information for each package is delivered via email. 

Plant & Container Sizes

We deliver plants in various sizes and stages of growth, and the product detail pages of our website indicate the form and/or pot size in which the plant will be delivered. Pot sizes range from 1 pint to 1 gallon and larger. Many perennials, roses, shrubs and vines are delivered bareroot - that is, not in a container at all. Bulbs and tubers are generally delivered bareroot and fully dormant. We choose container sizes and delivery methods based on how each plant grows best, how we can minimize transplant shock, and how to minimize unnecessary bulk/weight in shipment. 

Caring for Your Plants Upon Arrival

It is important to acclimate greenhouse-grown plants to life outdoors. All plant shipments include simple instructions for handling your plants upon arrival. Further how-to information, including planting instructions, is available on each plant's product page.

Latin Name Pronunciation: kal-uh-min' thuh   

Calamintha is a genus in the Mint family native to Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia. These flowering herbaceous perennials are generally found in grasslands, scrubs, and woodlands across these temperate regions, explaining their heat and drought tolerance. Flowers keep blooming all summer and into fall.

Full sun (afternoon shade is recommended in the warmest reaches of Zone 9 in the West) and well-drained soil. Drought tolerant. Has shrubby tendencies. Leave the fine, twiggy stems up over winter to catch light snowfalls. Cut back to live wood in spring. In the South, plants may look tired after the first wave of bloom; cut to the ground in midsummer for a fresh crop of bright green leaves.

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Should you have any questions about how our guarantee applies to a particular product or circumstance, our customer service team will be happy to help – please contact us at (800) 411-6159 or [email protected].