Clinopodium

( klin - oh - POH - dee - um )

At-A-Glance Information

This genus includes species of highly fragrant perennial flowering plants that need full sun to light shade and moderate water for best performance. These plants are relative of Mint and will self-sow but are not considered invasive. Foliage is fragrant, and leaves of certain species are used in culinary settings. Flowers are tubular and range in color from white to pinks, purples, reds and oranges. Individual plants can be upright or prostrate in form, and do well in mixed beds and borders or containers. Take care when planting these flowers in the landscape, as ingestion of plant parts is toxic to some animals, including horses.

Clinopodium Species and Varietals

The genus Clinopodium is a member of the plant family Lamiaceae, and includes around 190 species. The genus is a relative of genera Mentha and Monarda, and its name is derived from the Ancient Greek klinopodion (little foot bed), referring to the form of the calyx. Clinopodium grows best in USDA hardiness zones 4-10 or Sunset growing zones 1-9 and 14-24. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Clinopodium acinos (Acinos arvensis) (Basil Thyme, Spring Savory, Mother-of-Thyme, Brenhinllys)
This perennial flower reaches just 8 inches tall at maturity and spreads to about a foot wide. These plants prefer growing in full sun exposure, and smell faintly of thyme, hence its common name Basil Thyme. This species is considered invasive in certain regions of northern North America.

Clinopodium alpinum (Rock Thyme, Alpine Calamint, Alpine Catnip)
This perennial species, which is sometimes brewed and served as tea, reaches between 16 and 20 inches tall at maturity. Native to southern Europe, these plants have a woody, fuzzy stem and produce whorled inflorescences. Flowers are usually violet in color, and bloom between May and August. Plants form from an underground taproot.

Clinopodium ashei (Ashe's Savory, Ashe's Calamint, Ohoopee Dunes Wild Basil)
This species forms an aromatic, bushy shrub about a foot and a half tall. Leaves are downy, as are stems. Flowers are white to pale lavender in color, and bloom between January and April. Ashe's Savory is native to Florida and Georgia.

Clinopodium brownei (Browne's Savory, Mint Charlie, St. John's Mint)
This sprawling perennial has square stems and produces pinkish-white to lavender flowers. These herbaceous plants are native to the southeastern United States and prefer to grow in marshy environments in late winter and early springtime. Individual plants in this species reach up to about 6-16 inches tall and have a wide-sprawling or spreading growth habit. Considered an invasive species in certain areas of Washington state.

Clinopodium chandleri (San Miguel Savory, San Miguel Calamint, Shrubby Yerba Buena, San Diego Yerba Buena)
This species is native to northern Baja California and southern California where it naturally grows in mountain chaparral habitats. This is one of California's most rare shrubs. From a woody stem base, these plants produce slender branches clothed in green leaves and flowers that appear at leaf axils. Blooms are white to lavender. Plants reach 1-2 feet tall at maturity.

Clinopodium coccineum (Scarlet Catmint, Red Basil, Scarlet Wild Basil, Scarlet Savory, Red Mint Shrub)
This evergreen perennial plant grows in coastal areas of the southeastern United States and produces reddish-orange tubular flowers. Foliage is green and downy. Plants have a loose, open growth habit and leaves are very small. They reach 2-4 feet tall at maturity. Cultivar 'Ohoopee Yellow' has yellow flowers.

Clinopodium dentatum (Toothed Savory, Florida Calamint)
This aromatic species is native to Florida and Georgia in the United States, and reaches between 12 and 28 inches tall at maturity. Stems are grey-brown and flowers are pale lavender with a dark spot on the lower lip. This is a somewhat weedy species.

Clinopodium douglasii (Micromeria douglasii) (Yerba Buena, Oregon Tea)
This species is native to western and northwestern North America, and forms a perennial, sprawling mat of light green foliage. Fragrant leaves are small and flowers are as well. Blooms are typically light pink-purple to white in color. Can make a great small-scale groundcover in areas with low foot traffic.

Clinopodium glabellum (Satureja glabella) (Glade Calamint, Glade Savory, Glade Wild Basil, Ozark Calamint, Smooth Calamint)
This perennial species produces pale pink flowers in springtime. These plants reach about 2 feet tall at maturity and are native to Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama in the United States.

Clinopodium grandiflorum (Calamintha grandiflora) (Large-Flowered Calamint, Showy Calamint, Mint Savory, Greater Calamint)
This plant is native to the Mediterranean and Iran. It spreads by creeping rhizomes to form a clump 2 feet tall and just as wide, and has slender stems topped with pink flowers in summertime. This species performs better with some shade. 'Variegata' is a cultivar with variegated leaves.

Clinopodium macrostemum (Nurite, Hediondilla, Toche, Macrostemous Basil, Poleo, Te del Monte, Yerba de Borracho)
This bushy plant can reach between 3 and 10 feet tall at maturity, and produces orange to red flowers that bloom in spring and summertime. This species is native to Mexico, where it prefers to grow in forested areas.

Clinopodium menthifolium (Calamintha menthifolium) (Wood Calamint, Woodland Calamint, Mountain Balm)
This fragrant species is native to central and southern Europe, and forms a shrubby plant with an upright habit. These plants reach about 2 feet tall when mature, and have dark green foliage and purple flowers with markings on their bottom lips. Blooms typically pop in July through September. The leaves of this plant can be used to make a great tea. This species is considered invasive in certain areas of the United States, including California and Virginia.

Clinopodium mimuloides (Monkeyflower Savory)
This species is endemic to California, where it prefers to grow in chaparral, woodland, and moist mountain areas in the central and southern areas of the state. These perennial small herbs reach about 6.5 feet tall when mature, and produce salmon-pink flowers.

Clinopodium nepeta (Calamintha nepeta, Calamintha nepetoides) (Lesser Catmint)
This species is native to the Mediterranean and Great Britain, and gets to be 1.5 feet tall and 2.5 feet wide. This plant sprouts tough slender stems that carry pale lilac-lavender to white flowers from late summer to fall. These plants often grow wild, but can be grown in pots for a more contained situation. These plants live for about 3-4 years before needing to be replaced. Leaves from this plant are commonly used as an herb in Italian cuisine. Lesser Catmint is considered an invasive plant in the mid-Atlantic and Southern United States.

Clinopodium talladeganum (Talladega Wild Basil)
This rare perennial shrub is endemic to Alabama, and reaches between 12 and 18 inches tall at maturity. Flowers are pale lavender to light pink in this species, and bloom in late summertime.

Clinopodium vulgare (Wild Basil, Calamint)
This herbaceous plant grows from underground rhizome and matures after about 2 years of growth to a size of about half a foot to a foot and a half tall and about half as wide. Flowers can be pink, violet, or purple. These plants are native to Europe, Asia, North America and northern parts of the African continent. These plants are considered invasive in parts of western North America and Australia.

Caring for Clinopodium

Clinopodium plants do well when planted in full sun. Ideally, they should be receiving between 6 and 8 hours of direct sun each day in order to flower well. These plants can tolerate partial shade if necessary, but they will not bloom as well. They will thrive in soil that is well-draining, moderately fertile, and with a pH of between 6.0 and 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral). If local soils are particularly poor in nutrients or do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing. After planting Clinopodium, mulch around the base of the plant with organic mulching material to help retain soil moisture and suppress weed growth. Keep mulch away from the plant stems, as this can encourage an environment for root rot issues to take hold. Water new plantings regularly until they develop a strong root system. At maturity, these plants are considered to be drought-tolerant, but will produce more flowers if they are given regular waterings. As a general rule of thumb, irrigate when the top inch or two of soil feels dry to the touch.

To fertilize, apply a 2-inch blanket of compost to the planting area each year. Pull back mulch, apply compost and work it into the soil, apply some water, and then replace mulch. These plants are not heavy feeders, but if they seem to be struggling or not flowering well (or if local soils are particularly poor in nutrients), another application of compost can be worked into soil in early summertime. Clinopodium plants are very easy to care for and typically do not need to be pruned much. For a neater appearance, simply remove yellowing or dead foliage and spent blossoms. An early springtime cleanup is sometimes required to clear out the foliage that got a little too cold during the winter months, as well. Simply take off all of the browned plant material and a flush of new growth will emerge, helped along by an early springtime compost nutrient boost.

Caring for Clinopodium in Containers
Clinopodium plants are commonly grown in containers, which can help to limit their spread in the garden. Choose a container that is at least a few inches wider and deeper than the nursery pot or root ball. Ensure that the pot has adequate drainage holes on the bottom to allow for excess water to flow away. Fill with a well-draining potting mix amended with organic material and perlite, and top with a layer of mulch to suppress weed growth, maintain consistent soil temperatures, and to increase soil moisture retention. Water regularly as the plant establishes itself in its new home. Once established, waterings can be lessened. Clinopodium plants grown in containers will need more frequent irrigation than those grown in the ground. As a general rule of thumb, water whenever the top few inches of soil feels dry to the touch. Prune to remove dead, damaged, or diseased foliage at any time during the growing season. Every few years, check the bottom of the pot to ensure that the plant is not outgrowing its root space. If roots are growing through the drainage holes in the bottom of the container, it is a good indication that it needs to be potted up; choose a slightly larger container and repot.

Propagation

Clinopodium plants can be propagated either by using cuttings, division or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting or division methods. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your Clinopodium, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Clinopodium by Cutting

Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. A good substrate for propagation of cuttings is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
In spring, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 4-6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch (it should have at least two sets of leaves) and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new plant.

Propagating Clinopodium by Division
This type of propagation is relatively simple; you will need a clean shovel, mulch, fresh soil, compost and pots (only necessary if you will be saving divided plants for transporting elsewhere). Division is best done in very early spring (after the plant has entered dormancy, but before it has begun its new spring growth), and needs to be done every few years regardless of whether you have the goal of propagating the plants for best performance. To propagate by division, follow these steps:

Using a shovel, dig up your existing plant. Start from the outside and work your way in to avoid damaging the root(s). Once you have worked it up out of the ground, lay it out.
Start to tease apart the roots with your fingers. Once the roots are untangled, separate your plant into segments, ensuring that each one has at least one thick root section attached.
Prepare your pot(s) or new planting site(s) with amended, well-draining soil. You can either bring in new soil or simply amend your existing soil with compost to complete this task. Then, plant your divisions and water thoroughly.
Apply a thick layer of mulch over the new planting to protect it from cold weather as it acclimates to its new home. Then, enjoy watching it sprout in the next growing season.

Propagating Clinopodium by Seed

Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. The best potting medium for seed germination is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
Harvest your seeds. The seed heads on plants are pretty easy to spot, they're left behind after flowers have faded. Once they have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Cut them off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will continue to split open and release the seeds contained inside. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them.
In either late winter or early springtime, get your container prepared. Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 2-6 weeks from sowing.
Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 65 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.

Clinopodium seed pods are left behind on plants after flowers have faded.

Clinopodium seeds are typically dark reddish-brown to black.

Problems and Pests

Some species of Clinopodium are considered invasive in certain regions; check the descriptions above for more information. Check with local authorities before planting. Clinopodium plants typically are pest-resistant, but they can occasionally have issues with: