# Scarlet Calamint (*Clinopodium coccineum*)

Scarlet Calamint is a bright red flower that loves to grow in sunny places. Its sweet smell attracts butterflies and bees, making it a happy spot in gardens!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Grasslands

![Scarlet Calamint](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Clinopodium_coccineum01-Alabama.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Teréz Pechová-Hurst, CC BY 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Clinopodium_coccineum01-Alabama.jpg)

## Appearance

The Scarlet Calamint has striking, vibrant scarlet to reddish-orange tubular flowers, clustered along upright stems. Its small, dark green leaves are oval-shaped and emit a distinctive minty aroma when crushed. It stands out with its fiery blossoms against the green foliage.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Lamiales
- **Family:** Lamiaceae
- **Genus:** Clinopodium

## Interesting facts

- It can withstand very dry weather, staying strong when other plants wilt.
- Its bright red flowers are a favorite snack stop for speedy hummingbirds!
- Native Americans traditionally used its leaves to make soothing herbal teas.
- This plant's leaves have a zesty, minty smell when you gently rub them.

## Special abilities

- **Nectar Beacon:** Scarlet Calamint has bright red, tubular flowers that act like a beacon, perfectly attracting hummingbirds to pollinate them.
- **Scent Shield:** This plant's aromatic leaves release a minty smell, helping to repel some hungry animals from taking a bite.
- **Tough Rooter:** Scarlet Calamint can grow in dry, sandy, and poor soils, which helps it survive where many other plants struggle.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-90 cm
- **Spread:** 30-60 cm
- **Flower Size:** 2.5-3.8 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer to fall
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Bird

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** [Ruby-throated Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/ruby-throated-hummingbird) (*Archilochus colubris*) — Main pollinator, feeding on nectar
- **Pollinates:** Common Eastern Bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — Visits flowers for nectar and pollen
- **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — May browse on foliage when food is scarce

## Traits

- [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators.
- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always check with an adult before touching or smelling flowers.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Scarlet Calamint?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Scarlet Calamint?

30-90 cm

### How wide does Scarlet Calamint spread?

30-60 cm

### How big are the flowers on Scarlet Calamint?

2.5-3.8 cm

### When does Scarlet Calamint bloom?

Summer to fall

### Is Scarlet Calamint edible?

Yes

### Is Scarlet Calamint toxic?

None

### What is Scarlet Calamint's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Mobile Botanical Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mobile-botanical-gardens) — Alabama, US · Botanical Garden
- [Shoreline Park South](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/shoreline-park-south) — Florida, US · Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Scarlet Calamint: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/scarlet-calamint)