Calamintha nepeta Marvelette Blue


Gold Medal Approved Novelty

A marvellous blue bee attraction that’s what this compact Calamintha from seed will create in the garden! Its large, striking, purple-blue flowers are produced in profusion on upright spikes above the foliage. This first-year flowering perennial flowers within 12 weeks from a spring sowing and will bring blue to the garden all summer long. The sweet, mint smell of the fresh, mid-green foliage attracts butterflies and bees. This outstanding garden performer makes a great filler in sunny borders, but can also be used as a superb edging for walks. Planted in pots, this beauty brings both colour and fragrance to the patio.

In detail

Fleuroselect awards a Gold Medal to varieties which through their beauty and innovation are breakthroughs in breeding. The judges praised Marvelette Blue for its intense purple-blue colour, compact plant habit and early flowering. Rewarded for its outstanding performance as the new generation in seed-raised Calamintha, this blue beauty now marvels as a 2016 Gold Medal winner.

Market value

Growers will love this first year flowering perennial
with its compact habit and short cultivation time.
Marvelette Blue branches very well, is shorter and more
uniform in growth than the current varieties available.
The early flowering, large flowers of Marvelette Blue
will convince at retail and this all-round performer has an
excellent shelf life. Thanks to its improved compactness,
this newcomer is moreover easy to transport. Marvelette
Blue’s intense purple-blue flowers and strong scent cannot
fail to catch the consumer’s attention at point of sale.

Growers will love this first year flowering perennial with its compact habit and short cultivation time. Marvelette Blue branches very well, is shorter and more uniform in growth than the current varieties available. The early flowering, large flowers of Marvelette Blue will convince at retail and this all-round performer has an excellent shelf life. Thanks to its improved compactness, this newcomer is moreover easy to transport. Marvelette Blue’s intense purple-blue flowers and strong scent cannot fail to catch the consumer’s attention at point of sale.

Background information

Calamintha nepeta is a bushy, perennial herb of the Lamiaceae family that is native to Europe and the Mediterranean region. From Greek, calamintha means beautiful (kalos) mint (mimthe). Nepeta is in reference of the resemblance of the plant to catnip. With Marvelette Blue, Van Hemert

Technical information

Novelty Characteristic:
First year flowering perennial with a new colour, compact plant habit and large flowers
Colour:
Purple Blue
Flower:
Single – 1cm diameter
Flowering Period:
12 weeks after a spring sowing until autumn
Type:
Perennial, O.P., Diploid
Use:
Bedding
Seed:
Approx. 3000 seeds per gram, minimum germination rate 90%
Plant:
Dome shape plant form. Height: 20 cm Spread: 30 cm
Growing:

Sowing for pot production in autumn and in spring from week 5 at 18° C. After germination, keep plants slightly moist to dry. Pinching and PGR not required. Grow at 14-18°C and transplant after 4 weeks. Direct sowing in the garden from week 18. Plant out after 4 weeks, using 1-3 plants for a 10-12 cm container. Plant out in garden later 10-16 plants/m² in a bed on a sunny, half sunny or shady spot.

Planting:
16 Plants per m²

Registration details

Breeder:
Van Hemert
Entry number:
02/14
Protection Period:
8 years
Expiry Date:
2022-12-31