Marvelette Blue Calamintha is a compact, frost-hardy perennial herb that brings minty-floral fragrance and delicate blue flowers to any garden from summer straight through fall. Growing just 6 to 8 inches tall with a tidy 10-inch spread, this heirloom cultivar thrives in full sun and actually prefers lean, dry conditions once established, making it exceptionally low-maintenance. The loose spikes of understated blue blooms emit a cool minty scent with hints of rose, and the plant is a pollinator magnet, especially for butterflies. Hardy through zone 4, it's a gardener's dream for edging, containers, or herb borders where you want fragrance without fuss.
10
Full Sun
Low
4-4
8in H x 10in W
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Low
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The real draw here is the intoxicating minty-floral fragrance that fills the air around the plant, a blend of cool mint with a subtle rose undertone. Butterflies can't resist it, and neither will you once you brew the leaves into a hot or iced herbal tea. The plant itself is beautifully behaved, forming tidy clumps without aggressive spreading, and its modest size means even small gardens have room for this gem. Once established, it laughs at drought and thrives on neglect, asking only for full sun and well-drained soil.
Marvelette Blue is primarily grown as an herbal tea plant, where its minty-floral leaves steep into a refreshing, aromatic infusion served either hot or iced. The flowers and foliage are also valued for their ornamental appeal in gardens and containers, creating airy drifts of blue that complement perennial borders or herb gardens.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Sow seeds indoors 8 weeks before your last frost date, surface sowing and pressing the seeds in firmly. Keep soil at 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit; seeds typically germinate in 15 to 30 days. Transplant hardened-off seedlings outdoors after the last frost when soil has warmed.
After hardening off, transplant seedlings outdoors in spring once frost danger has passed. Space plants 10 inches apart in full sun with well-drained soil.
Direct sow in early to mid spring by surface sowing and pressing seeds firmly into soil. Keep soil consistently moist until germination occurs.
For tea, harvest leaves and flowers throughout the growing season once the plant is established, pinching from the stems as needed. The best flavor comes from harvesting during the active bloom period from June through November. You can harvest continuously without damaging the plant; in fact, regular harvesting encourages bushier growth and extends the blooming season.
Minimal pruning is needed due to the naturally compact, tidy growth habit. Deadhead spent flowers throughout the blooming season to encourage continued flowering and maintain neatness, and harvest leaves as needed for tea or ornamental purposes.
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