How To Grow Calamint

What Is Calamint

Growing Calamint is surprisingly easy. Calamint/Calamintha is a perennial herb that is a member of the mint family and is populated by tiny, gently coloured purple flowers which attract pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, throughout the blooming seasons. It is a perfect addition to any landscape or garden, as its fragrance is inviting to both insects and gardeners alike, and its brightly coloured leaves and intricate floral patterns will do wonders for an otherwise dull garden. Calamint is also easy to contain and tend to, making it suitable for beginner gardeners looking for something easy to care for as well as more experienced individuals who simply want something new to experiment with.

Calamint is an easy to care for herb that is perfect for any landscape and has a number of uses which include medicinal and for culinary purposes, making it one of nature’s more versatile plants. Fit for any level of gardener, Calamint is a must-try.

Varieties Of Calamint / Calamintha

There are a number of different types of this herb, varying in both bloom and size, but none drastically different from the other in terms of potential uses and the level of skill or care required to grow them successfully. Calamint is part of the Labiatae family of herbs, which includes all types of mint varieties, but there are about eight more specific variations including;

White Cloud or Lesser Calamint: Probably the variety you’re most likely to come across. This is subject to a brilliantly white or sometimes lilac or light blue bloom with slightly greyish leaves, growing to about one and a half feet tall.

Woodland Calamint: Distinguished by small, light purple flowers, this is a milder tasting variety than White Cloud and makes an excellent herbal tea.

Ozark Calamint: This is known to contain a more citrus scent and is small in overall size with rich red floral patterns.

Planting Calamint

Plant seeds indoors either in your house or greenhouse (check out our helpful greenhouse guide) in early spring once the last frosts have passed. Plant the seeds about 1cm deep in well drained potting mix.

Take the same approach with cuttings, placing them directly into the potting mix. Keep the soil moist but take care not to over-water.

Once the plants are quite obviously, actively growing and have a well established root then they can be planted out into their permanent position.

Calamint does best when planted in areas of full sunlight, but it does well in partial shade as well, especially in climates prone to extreme heat.

The herb does well in a number of soils, with the ability to adapt to rocky, loamy, sandy or rich dirt and others, and it also can grow in soils of a varying acidity, making it extremely hardy and one of the easiest plants to grow. For help understanding your soil types, check out our soil article HERE.

The downside of growing Calamint and it being so easy to grow is its impressive ability to spread throughout the space it has been planted in, thus it should be planted in a container if you would rather not have to deal with pruning and containing it yourself, but it can be contained if regular pruning is done.

It can be planted from seed or taken and transplanted from another, already thriving plant, either one will lead to a quick bloom. If this plant is one that you want to have as the main attraction in an herb garden or other landscape, dividing the plant and spreading them out will lead to a joining of plants over time.

Caring For Calamint

With its incredible adaptability and impressive fragrance and bloom, it is often difficult not to want to over care for the plant. In reality though, growing Calamint is surprisingly easy and once this herb has been planted, whether from seed or cultivated from another plant, it needs very little general care. Unlike other varieties of mint that need more consistent watering, Calamint varieties are very drought tolerant and can thrive in soil that is prone to drying out easily but also responds well to soil that is moist.

If it is planted in a container, then minimal watering is the only thing needed to maintain its continued bloom, but if planted in ground in an area populated by other plants and blooming vegetation then pruning should be done regularly to ensure the spread is limited. If your soil needs a little helping hand though, you can take a look at our handy guide on Homemade Organic Liquid Fertilizer.

Calamint Pests And Disease

As with any other plant, growing Calamint effectively requires the control of any pests or disease.

The main pest where Calamint is concerned is the pesky whitefly which will lay it’s eggs underneath the leaves and secrete honeydew all over your plant.

These are best dealt with by simply spraying the plants with water and this should hopefully wash the pests away. There are a variety of chemical options available to tackle whiteflies but I like to avoid these and find the water option works fine.

The main disease of concern is Powdery Mildew which is a fungal growth that leaves white, powdery spots on the plant. This can spread through the plant quickly, stunting it’s growth and turning leaves a yellow then brown colour.

Once detected it’s important to act quickly and prune back any infected leaves or stalks.

Uses For Calamint

Calamint or Calamintha can be used in a number of different ways, including as an essential oil and as an aid in illnesses that range from common colds to respiratory related sickness.

The leaves have been cultivated for years due to their high menthol content, acting as a natural pain reliever for cuts and other surface wounds that are inflamed, and as a topical rub to reduce congestion within the chest.

Outside of being applied medicinally, its strong fragrance is ideal for cooking as it can be compared to basil, thyme and other pungent herbs. The plant variety is what determines the overall flavour profile of the cultivated part of the herb, as some may be more suitably paired with meat while others to be dried and used in teas.

Calamint Planting – Quick Reference Guide For Growing Calamint

Planting Guide	Information
POSITION:	Full sun to partial shade
Various - this plant is not fussy	Well drained
PLANTING:	Can be grown in pots, sown direct or planted out as seedlings in spring when the soil temperature has warmed
FROST TOLERANT?	Yes
HEAT TOLERANT?	Yes but extreme heat can burn leaves and pods
FEEDING:	No feeding required if planted out. Occasional, general liquid fertilizer if in pots.
PLANT GROUP:	A perennial herb and part of the mint family
PESTS AND DISEASES:	Main pests are white flies and plants can also suffer from powdery mildew
HARVESTING:	Suitable for harvesting from spring through autumn / fall. You harvest up to half the leaves because this is such a fast growing plant. For best flavour try to harvest leaves in the morning