
Acinos alpinus
Rock Thyme, Alpine Calamint
Clusters of tubular purplish flowers appear at the end of each stem from late May through early June. Forms tufts of tiny, fragrant, semi-evergreen leaves reaching only 6” tall. Very floriferous and attracts butterflies and other pollinators. Drought tolerant once established. A superb rock garden, wall garden, container, and trough garden plant.
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Fragrant, semi-evergreen foliage |
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Tubular purple flowers |
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Attracts butterflies |
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Great for the rock and trough gardens |
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Thrives in well-drained, gritty soils in sunny locations. Readily propagated by seeds and may also be increased via division in spring and by cuttings in summer.
This plant is synonymous with Calamintha alpinus, Thymus alpinus, and Satureja alpinus. Native to the high altitude regions of southern Europe, Acinos alpinus is not only an alpine plant in terms of preferred growing conditions, but also in terms of geographic origin.