Clinopodium alpinum
(L.) Kuntze
Lamiaceae
Acinos alpinus (L.) Moench
Calamintha alpina (L.) Lam.
Faucibarba alpina (L.) Dulac
Melissa alpina (L.) Benth.
Satureja alpina (L.) Scheele
Thymus alpinus L.
Common Name: Alpine Calamint
Flowering stem of a plant growing in the Botanical Garden KIT, Karlsruhe, Germany.
Photograph by: H. Zell
General Information
Acinos alpinus is a strongly-branched, perennial plant producing a cluster of stems 10 - 15cm tall from a fibrous root system. The stems become woody at the base[
74- Title
- Flora of the USSR.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Komarov. V. L.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Israel Program for Scientific Translation
- Year
- 1968
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine, flavouring and tea.It is sometimes grown as an ornamental in gardens.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
50- Title
- Flora Europaea
- Publication
-
- Author
- ?
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Year
- 1964
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for Europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.
,74, 200
Range
Central and southern Europe from the Alps of France to Ukraine, south to Spain, Greece and Turkey; N. Africa - Morocco.
Habitat
Dry sunny habitats in mountains and rocky places[
50- Title
- Flora Europaea
- Publication
-
- Author
- ?
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Year
- 1964
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for Europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.
,
148- Title
- Herbs of Greece.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Niebuhr. A. D.
- Publisher
- Herb Society of America.
- Year
- 1970
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A pleasant little book about Greek herbs.
]. Rocks and shady mountain slopes in the subalpine zone[
74- Title
- Flora of the USSR.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Komarov. V. L.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Israel Program for Scientific Translation
- Year
- 1968
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Habit | Perennial |
| Height | 0.45 m |
| Pollinators | Inects |
| Cultivation Status | Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Succeeds in almost any well-drained soil, doing well in a hot dry soil[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Edible Uses
The leaves are used as a flavouring in cooked dishes[
183- Title
- Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-0-9
- Description
- Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
] and also as a tea substitute[
148- Title
- Herbs of Greece.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Niebuhr. A. D.
- Publisher
- Herb Society of America.
- Year
- 1970
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A pleasant little book about Greek herbs.
].
Medicinal
The plant is diaphoretic, febrifuge[
148- Title
- Herbs of Greece.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Niebuhr. A. D.
- Publisher
- Herb Society of America.
- Year
- 1970
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A pleasant little book about Greek herbs.
].
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed - sow early spring in a cold frame. If you have sufficient seed then you could try sowing in situ in mid to late spring. Germination should take place within a month. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.
Division in spring.
Basal cuttings in late spring.
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Temperate Plants Database 2016 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
