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Georgia Basil

Clinopodium carolinianum (klin-oh-POH-dee-um kair-oh-lin-ee-AY-num)

Family: Lamiaceae Native Herbaceous (1-3 ft)

Georgia calamint is a perennial shrub in the mint family native to the southeastern U.S.A. It is rated critically impaired in NC and is found in the piedmont, sandhills and coastal plains in disturbed areas and along the edges of sandy pinewoods, particularly on roadbanks with thin soil and little woody competition. The shrub is multi-stemed and grows 1-2 feet tall and wide in well-drained sandy, rocky or loamy soils. It prefers sun to partial shade and can be grown in containers. Cut the plant back after flowering to prevent legginess. Propagate by division and stem cuttings. Georgia calamint has clusters of fragrant, pretty tubular purple flowers from July to September. The leaves are up to 1 inch long with the many blooms nearly the same length in the leaf axils, turning the whole plant “pink” when in full bloom. Use Georgia calamint in the border of pollinator, native and drought-tolerant gardens for late summer blooms. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 54 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft) Optimal soil pH Neutral (6.0-8.0)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Native Plant; Perennial
Life cycle
Perennial
USDA zones
8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil pH
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Dry
NC region
Coastal; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Broad; Dense; Erect
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Ovate
Leaf margin
Dentate
Leaf size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Dark green ovate leaves with toothed edges are 3/4 to 1 inch long
Flower color
Pink; Purple/Lavender
Flower value
Fragrant; Long Bloom Season; Showy
Flower form
Panicle
Flower shape
Tubular
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Produces panicles of fragrant, light purplish-pink tubular flowers with dark spots on the lower lobe from July to September.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit type
Schizocarp
Fruit detail
Dry, four-part schizocarp fruit containing small, individual nutlets. Displays from August to October.
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Stems develop from the base and up and are rarely branched
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Southeastern U.S.A.
Wildlife value
This plant attracts hummingbirds, bees and butterflies.
Attracts
Butterflies; Hummingbirds
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Schizocarp
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Coastal; Container
Landscape theme
Butterfly Garden; Drought Tolerant Garden; Native Garden; Pollinator Garden
Design feature
Border
Garden tags
#native perennial #NC native #food source nectar #food source pollen #hummingbird friendly #food source fall #butterfly friendly #showy flowers #drought tolerant #Coastal FACU #purple flowers #fragrant flowers #Audubon #container plant #coastal plant #th-smell
Problems & Resistance
Resistant to
Drought; Dry Soil
Particularly resistant to
Heat and drought tolerant.
Propagation
Division; Stem Cutting

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.