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Shipping nationwide across the continental U.S.! 🌱
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🌿 Costa Rican Mint (Satureja viminea / Clinopodium vimineum) – 4" Starter Plant 🌱
A fragrant Caribbean treasure to grow, brew, and enjoy!
Bring the refreshing scent and flavor of the tropics into your garden with Costa Rican Mint — also called the Jamaican Mint Tree. This aromatic evergreen herb is prized for its savory-minty leaves, soothing tea, and glossy ornamental foliage. Our 4” starter plants are young, vigorous, and ready to thrive in your home garden or container.
Botanical note: The currently accepted name is Clinopodium vimineum (syn. Satureja viminea, Micromeria viminea). Native to the Caribbean and cultivated across Central America, including Costa Rica.
🌿 Quick Facts (4” Starter Size)
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Clinopodium vimineum (syn. Satureja viminea) |
| Plant Type | Perennial shrub / small tree |
| Size at Sale | 4” starter pot (young rooted plant) |
| Mature Height & Width | 5–10 ft tall, 3–6 ft wide (easily kept 3–5 ft with pruning) |
| USDA Zones | 9–11 (best outdoors in 10–11) |
| Sun Requirements | Full sun to part shade |
| Cold Hardiness | Sensitive below 30°F — protect from frost |
| Growth Habit | Upright, multi-stemmed, shrubby |
| Spacing Requirements | 4–6 ft apart when planting in-ground |
🌸 Why Choose the 4” Size
- 🌱 Budget-friendly & fast-rooting: A great choice for gardeners who enjoy nurturing young plants.
- 🚛 Ships easily & recovers quickly: Perfect for Florida, the Southeast & Texas.
- 🌿 Adaptable: Ready to transplant into larger containers or directly into the garden.
- ⚡ Quick growth: With warmth and light, it rapidly establishes into a fragrant hedge or potted specimen.
Note: The 4” starter plant dries out faster than larger sizes. Water immediately upon arrival and consider upsizing to a 1-gallon container after a few weeks for best results.
🍃 Flavor & Culinary Highlights
Costa Rican Mint’s leaves deliver a bold, resinous mint flavor — like a blend of oregano, thyme, and spearmint. It’s the secret ingredient in many Caribbean herbal teas and soups.
Culinary Uses:
- 🍵 Teas & Infusions – classic “bush mint” tea for relaxation & digestion
- 🥣 Soups, beans & stews – adds deep herbal aroma
- 🥩 Marinades & rubs – pairs beautifully with citrus, onion & garlic
- 🥗 Fresh garnish – minced into salads or cooked greens for zest
Featured Recipe: Traditional Jamaican Mint Tea
The #1 most popular use for Costa Rican Mint!
Ingredients:
- 4–5 fresh leaves (or 1 tsp dried)
- 2 cups boiling water
- Optional: honey, lime, or ginger
Directions:
- Crush leaves slightly to release oils.
- Pour boiling water over and steep for 5–7 minutes.
- Strain and sweeten to taste.
- Enjoy hot or chilled over ice.
Flavor Notes:
Smooth, minty, and gently spicy — the traditional tea for soothing the stomach, calming the nerves, and lifting the spirit.
🌼 Ornamental & Landscape Appeal
- Evergreen, aromatic foliage that releases scent when brushed
- Small white flowers attract bees & butterflies
- Can be shaped as a hedge, small shrub, or fragrant patio plant
- Excellent in decorative containers or culinary herb gardens
🧑🌾 Planting & Care (for 4” Starter Plants)
🌞 Where to Plant
- Full sun to part shade
- Rich, well-drained soil (sandy or loamy preferred)
- Avoid standing water
🌱 Planting Method
- Transplant carefully to avoid disturbing the root ball
- Dig a hole just wider than the pot and no deeper
- Backfill with compost-amended native soil
- Keep the base slightly above soil level
- Watch our High & Tight Planting Video
💧 Watering
- Water daily for the first 1–2 weeks
- Then reduce to 2–3 times per week until established
- In warm weather, check frequently — 4” pots dry quickly!
✂️ Maintenance
- Tip-prune regularly to encourage bushy growth
- Feed lightly with organic fertilizer or compost once rooted and growing actively
❄️ Cold Weather Notes
- Protect from frost; move containers indoors or under cover below 30°F
- May drop leaves temporarily in cooler climates
🪴 Container Growing Tips
- Start in a 1-gallon pot once it outgrows its starter container
- Use high-quality, well-draining potting mix
- Provide bright sun or grow lights indoors in cooler months
- Trim regularly to maintain shape and fragrance
🌿 Companion & Support Guild Ideas
Perfect companions for thriving growth and biodiversity:
- 🌻 Biomass: Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia diversifolia)
- 🌾 Nitrogen Fixer: Pigeon Pea (Cajanus cajan)
- 🌸 Pollinator Support: Firebush (Hamelia patens), Blue Porterweed (Stachytarpheta jamaicensis)
- 🌱 Silica Source: Horsetail Reed (Equisetum hyemale)
🌟 Top Benefits
- Unique mint-savory flavor for teas & culinary creations
- Evergreen foliage with constant fragrance
- Fast-growing and ideal for small gardens
- Pollinator-friendly and easy to shape
- Excellent starter size for home growers
Troubleshooting Guide
| Issue | Cause & Solution |
|---|---|
| Leaves drying or wilting | Underwatering — water immediately upon arrival & increase humidity |
| Yellowing leaves | Overwatering or poor drainage — allow topsoil to dry slightly between waterings |
| Leggy stems | Not enough sun — move to brighter location & pinch back tips |
| Leaf drop after shipping | Temporary stress — prune lightly and keep moist; new growth will emerge |
| Weak aroma | Needs more light or gentle pruning to promote new shoots |
❓ FAQ
Q: How fast will my 4” Costa Rican Mint grow?
With warmth and full sun, it can double in size within 2–3 months!
Q: Can I plant it directly in the ground?
Yes — but allow it to establish in a container for 1–2 weeks after arrival first.
Q: Does it need frequent pruning?
Light tip pruning keeps it bushy and aromatic. It responds well to trimming.
Q: Will it survive winter?
Only in frost-free zones (9–11). Bring indoors or into a greenhouse if below 30°F.
Q: Is it safe for teas and cooking?
Yes — it’s widely used in Caribbean herbal traditions and cuisine.
🌟 Is This Plant Right for You?
✅ Ideal for:
- Gardeners who enjoy starting small and growing their own
- Herb and tea enthusiasts
- Pollinator gardens, edible landscapes & potted patios
- Warm-climate growers or greenhouse owners
❌ Not ideal for:
- Cold-climate growers without protection
- Those who forget to water — 4” plants dry quickly!
🚚 Shipping & Handling (4” Size)
- Ships in a 4” economy container
- Best suited for Florida, the Southeastern US & Texas
- We ship nationwide, but smaller plants may dry out faster during transit
- Buyer discretion advised during extreme heat or cold
- Shipped every Monday via UPS Ground from Florida
- We are not responsible for weather-related shipping stress
🌡️ Tip: Unpack your plant immediately and water upon arrival. Allow a few days to recover from travel before transplanting.
📍 Local Pickup
GreenDreams Nursery & Farm
18709 US Hwy. 41, Spring Hill, FL 34610
🕒 Tues–Fri 9 AM–5 PM | Sat 8 AM–3 PM
🌿 Visit us to explore more herbs, natives, and edible plants in person!
🌿 Beyond the Plant: GreenDreams Services
At GreenDreams, we do more than grow plants — we design, build, and restore ecosystems across Florida.
- 🌳 Onsite consultations & edible landscape design
- 🌾 Installation & garden creation services
- 🚚 Bulk delivery of compost, biochar & soil materials
- 🌱 Wholesale & large-scale regenerative solutions
Let our team help you create your own thriving edible paradise — starting with Costa Rican Mint! 🌿
IMPORTANT INFORMATION BEFORE PURCHASING LIVE PLANTS:
*Please be advised that our online store selections are NOT available for pickup at our retail location in Spring Hill, Florida.
Inventory for our online store is located at a separate facility and are priced and handled exclusively for packaging & shipping.
Click here to learn more about our Spring Hill, FL retail nursery location, including countless more nursery selections ready for pickup - larger sizes and wider variety of plants not suitable for nationwide delivery.
1. Shipping Stress: Transportation can be stressful for plants, particularly when they spend several days in a confined, dark environment. It’s common for plants to experience leaf drop during this period. Rest assured, most plants typically recover quickly and thrive with minimal aftercare. However, some may need extra attention, love, and care, requiring appropriate watering and exposure to gentle light post-unboxing.
2. Potential Physical Damage: Despite our dedicated efforts to ensure that your plants are securely packaged, they may incur damage during shipping and handling by UPS. Rest assured, our shipping team is committed to packing your selections with utmost care and precision to minimize any potential harm.
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For significant box damage, please reach out to UPS within 30 days to initiate a claim.
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For minor damages, such as a broken branch or stem, we advise allowing the plant time to recover and regenerate with proper care and attention.
3. Long-Distance Shipping Considerations: Orders shipped over long distances, particularly to the western US, may take 3 - 5 business days to arrive due to various factors, including agricultural inspections in Arizona, California, and Texas. Such extended transit times can be particularly challenging for tender, young plants, affecting their quality due to prolonged confinement.
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We take additional measures during packaging to facilitate a swift recovery of the plants upon unboxing.
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Initial extra care and attention might be required over the first few weeks post-transport.
For further guidance, kindly review our detailed policies on returns and refunds, as well as our comprehensive plant care guide. We appreciate your understanding and patience in nurturing your new plants.
🌿 Important Shipping Information
Please take a moment to review our shipping protocols designed to ensure your plants arrive in optimal condition.
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Countdown Clock: At the top of our online store, you'll notice a countdown clock. This tool helps communicate our weekly shipping schedule, providing clarity on when you can expect your orders to be dispatched.
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Shipping Schedule: Our nursery, located in the heart of Central Florida, ships orders once weekly, every Monday. This is a strategic decision to prevent packages from being stationary over the weekends, ensuring that our plants travel as swiftly as possible across the country, even reaching as far as California.
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Shipping Method: At present, we offer ground shipping rates to meet various needs while maintaining the well-being of our plants during transit.
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Our Dedicated Team: We are a boutique nursery with a passionate team. Our members wear many hats, contributing to shipping, nursery operations, and engaging in valuable local projects. As we blossom and expand, rest assured that enhancing and streamlining our processes remains a priority to serve you better
Terms and Conditions for Purchasing Live Plants
1. Understanding of Shipping Stress
By purchasing live plants from our store, the customer acknowledges that transportation can be stressful for plants. It is common for plants to undergo leaf drop or experience other temporary issues during shipping. However, it is understood that most plants recover quickly with adequate care and attention post-shipping.
2. Awareness of Potential Physical Damage
Customers acknowledge that despite our best efforts in packaging, there may be occurrences of damage during shipping and handling. For substantial damages to the package, customers agree to contact UPS within 30 days to initiate a claim.
3. Acknowledgement of Long-Distance Shipping Considerations
Customers recognize that shipments, especially those directed to the western US, may be subjected to longer shipping durations of 3-5 business days. Customers agree to provide necessary care to the plants, recognizing that the quality of the plants may be affected due to prolonged shipping times.
4. Agreement with Shipping Information and Schedule
Customers, by making a purchase, have reviewed and agreed upon our shipping protocols and schedules. They acknowledge the presence of a countdown clock on the website and our once-weekly shipping policy every Monday, recognizing the rationale behind avoiding weekend layovers for the plants.
5.Extreme Weather Conditions
Customers acknowledge that our store is not responsible for damage or loss of live plants due to extreme weather conditions during transit and delivery. This includes exposure to cold or freezing temperatures during the winter months and extreme heat during the summer. We provide tracking information when orders are processed every Monday to ensure customers are aware of the delivery schedule. It is the customer's responsibility to prevent packages from being left outside in conditions that may cause damage. Our store does not accept responsibility for any adverse effects caused by weather conditions beyond our control.
6. No Refund Policy
Customers agree that refunds are only processed under exceptional circumstances. Our store will not be held responsible for poor plant choices relative to location suitability, extreme conditions during and/or post-shipment, and improper post-purchase plant care.
7. Responsibility of Care
Upon purchase, customers agree to assume full responsibility for the ongoing care of the plants. This includes, but is not limited to, appropriate watering, exposure to suitable light, and adherence to specific care instructions pertinent to each plant type.
8. Consent
By proceeding with this purchase, customers consent to all the terms and conditions stated above, confirming understanding and agreement to all stipulations mentioned.
These terms and conditions aim to ensure clarity, mutual understanding, and agreement between the seller and the customer to facilitate a smooth transaction and foster a positive customer experience.
