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Useful Temperate Plants

Clinopodium menthifolium

(Host) Stace

Lamiaceae

+ Synonyms

Calamintha ascendens Jord.

Calamintha hirta (Briq.) Hayek

Calamintha intermedia (Baumg.) Heinr.Braun

Calamintha menthifolia Host.

Calamintha montana menthifolia (Host) Dostál

Calamintha nepeta sylvatica (Bromf.) R.Morales

Calamintha officinalis ascendens (Jord.) Mateo

Calamintha officinalis boveana (K.Malý) Hayek

Calamintha officinalis menthifolia (Host) Rchb.f.

Calamintha officinalis sylvatica (Bromf.) Nyman

Calamintha sylvatica Bromf.

Calamintha sylvatica ascendens (Jord.) P.W.Ball

Clinopodium ascendens (Jord.) Samp.

Clinopodium nepeta ascendens (Jord.) B.Bock

Clinopodium nepeta sylvaticum (Bromf.) Peruzzi & F.Conti

Melissa intermedia Baumg.

Satureja ascendens (Jord.) K.Malý

Satureja calamintha ascendens (Jord.) Briq.

Satureja calamintha hirta Briq.

Satureja calamintha menthifolia (Host) Gams

Satureja calamintha montana Cout.

Satureja calamintha silvatica (Bromf.) Briq.

Satureja menthifolia (Host) Fritsch

Satureja menthifolia hirta Briq.

Satureja sancta Greuter & Burdet

Satureja sylvatica (Bromf.) K.Malý

Satureja sylvatica boveana K.Malý

Common Name: Calamint

No Image.

General Information

Clinopodium menthifolium is a herbaceous, perennial plant growing from a creeping rhizome. The plant forms a carpet of foliage with erect, little-branched flowering stems 30 - 60cm tall[
17
Title
Flora of the British Isles.
Publication
 
Author
Clapham, Tutin and Warburg.
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Year
1962
ISBN
-
Description
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild, and also cultivated in gardens, for use as a medicinal and culinary herb.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

17
Title
Flora of the British Isles.
Publication
 
Author
Clapham, Tutin and Warburg.
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Year
1962
ISBN
-
Description
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
,
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.

Range

Western Europe, including Britain, from France and W. Germany south to Spain, Algeria and N. Syria.

Habitat

Dry grassy banks, usually on calcareous soils, from southern Britain north to Durham and Yorkshire[
5
Title
Food for Free.
Publication
 
Author
Mabey. R.
Publisher
Collins
Year
1974
ISBN
0-00-219060-5
Description
Edible wild plants found in Britain. Fairly comprehensive, very few pictures and rather optimistic on the desirability of some of the plants.
,
17
Title
Flora of the British Isles.
Publication
 
Author
Clapham, Tutin and Warburg.
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Year
1962
ISBN
-
Description
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
HabitPerennial
Height0.45 m
PollinatorsBees, Insects
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details


Succeeds in a well-drained dry to moist neutral to alkaline soil and a sunny position[
1
Title
RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
Publication
 
Author
F. Chittendon.
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Year
1951
ISBN
-
Description
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
]. Likes semi-shade[
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.
].
Succeeds in a woodland garden[
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.
].
Bees love the flowers of this plant[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].

Edible Uses

A sweet and aromatic herb tea is made from the leaves[
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.
]. Very refreshing[
4
Title
A Modern Herbal.
Publication
 
Author
Grieve.
Publisher
Penguin
Year
1984
ISBN
0-14-046-440-9
Description
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
,
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.
].
Leaves - used as a flavouring in cooked dishes[
177
Title
Plants for Human Consumption.
Publication
 
Author
Kunkel. G.
Publisher
Koeltz Scientific Books
Year
1984
ISBN
3874292169
Description
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of Latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
]. Pleasantly pungent and strongly aromatic, the flavour is said to resemble a cross between mint and marjoram[
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.
].

Medicinal

Calamint was commonly used as a medicinal herb in medieval times, though is little used by modern herbalists[
238
Title
Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses.
Publication
 
Author
Bown. D.
Publisher
Dorling Kindersley, London.
Year
1995
ISBN
0-7513-020-31
Description
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
]. It has very similar properties to lesser calamint (Clinopodium nepeta) though is milder in its actions[
238
Title
Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses.
Publication
 
Author
Bown. D.
Publisher
Dorling Kindersley, London.
Year
1995
ISBN
0-7513-020-31
Description
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
].
The whole plant is aromatic, diaphoretic and expectorant[
4
Title
A Modern Herbal.
Publication
 
Author
Grieve.
Publisher
Penguin
Year
1984
ISBN
0-14-046-440-9
Description
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
]. The leaves are harvested in July as the plant comes into flower and are dried for storage[
4
Title
A Modern Herbal.
Publication
 
Author
Grieve.
Publisher
Penguin
Year
1984
ISBN
0-14-046-440-9
Description
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
]. An infusion is beneficial in cases of fevers, flatulent colic and weaknesses of the stomach[
4
Title
A Modern Herbal.
Publication
 
Author
Grieve.
Publisher
Penguin
Year
1984
ISBN
0-14-046-440-9
Description
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
], it is also used to treat depression, insomnia and painful menstruation[
238
Title
Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses.
Publication
 
Author
Bown. D.
Publisher
Dorling Kindersley, London.
Year
1995
ISBN
0-7513-020-31
Description
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
]. Its expectorant action makes it a good cough and cold remedy and it is of value for treating mild respiratory infections[
254
Title
The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants
Publication
 
Author
Chevallier. A.
Publisher
Dorling Kindersley. London
Year
1996
ISBN
9-780751-303148
Description
An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.
]. It is best mixed with other herbs, especially yarrow (Achillea millefolium) and Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)[
254
Title
The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants
Publication
 
Author
Chevallier. A.
Publisher
Dorling Kindersley. London
Year
1996
ISBN
9-780751-303148
Description
An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.
].
Calamint should not be prescribed for pregnant women since in excess it can cause a miscarriage[
238
Title
Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses.
Publication
 
Author
Bown. D.
Publisher
Dorling Kindersley, London.
Year
1995
ISBN
0-7513-020-31
Description
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. It usually germinates in 2 weeks at 21°c[
138
Title
Growing from Seed. Volume 3.
Publication
 
Author
Bird. R. (Editor)
Publisher
Thompson and Morgan.
Year
1989
ISBN
-
Description
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation.
]. Prick out the seedlings when they are large enough to handle and, if they grow sufficiently, plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer otherwise wait until the following spring.
Division in spring. Very easy, larger clumps can be planted direct into their permanent positions. It is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are well rooted before planting them out in the summer.
Basal cuttings in May or early summer. They should be rooted in a sandy compost[
245
Title
Scented Flora of the World.
Publication
 
Author
Genders. R.
Publisher
Robert Hale. London.
Year
1994
ISBN
0-7090-5440-8
Description
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.
]. Harvest the shoots when they are about 10 - 15cm long with plenty of underground stem. Pot them up into individual pots and keep them in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer.
Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2024-12-13. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Clinopodium+menthifolium>

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