Acinos is a genus of ten species of annual and short-lived evergreen perennial woody plants native to southern Europe and western Asia. Its name comes from the Greek word akinos, the name of a small aromatic plant. They are small, tufted, bushy or spreading plants growing to 10-45 cm tall. The 2-lipped, tubular flowers are in whorls borne on erect spike-like inflorescence produced in mid-summer.

Selected species

• Acinos alpinus
• Acinos arvensis
• Acinos corsicus
• Acinos rotundifolius
• Acinos suaveolens

Cultivation

Mostly quite frost hardy, they will grow in poor soil as long as it is well drained (they do not like wet conditions) and need full sun. Propagate from seed or cuttings in spring.

Acinos arvensis is recorded as a food plant for the larva of the moth Coleophora tricolor.