Limestone calamint (syn. Calamintha, Satureja)

 Some may have noticed that I’m in love with little plants; I like them even more when they are fragrant!

The Limestone calamint is a dwarf, extremely aromatic species that I really wanted to have in my seed collections and around my rockery. In Ontario, it can be found growing on the rocky shores of Lake Huron, on temporarily moist, calcareous flats (alvars).

Clinopodium arkansanum – Limestone calamint

The little cutie has large blooms for its size, then fruits which remain enclosed in the calyces. The stems take a nice purple colour contrasting nicely with the lavender flowers. Stepping on them (by mistake of course!) will release an aromatic minty wave into the air; also an ID help when not in flower ;)

Unfortunately, it is very hard to say when the seeds are ‘ready’ and had I failed to collect them in the wild during the past couple of years. 

Fortunately, I managed to collect a few this time!

Too cute not to have it!