Mint Plant

The Mint Plant, also known as mentha, is a member of the subfamily Nepetoideae under the Lamiaceae family group of plants. It is an ancient form of plant being recorded as a food for prehistoric humans and almost certainly present a long time before man existed.

It is a flowering plant of which many species are known and documented but it is thought there are more varieties as yet unclassified. It is both cultivated and wild and is known to hybridize with other species of the family. It is used extensively both commercially and widely within the households of people almost all around the world.

Its leaves are characterized by a serated margin arranged in opposing pairs. It has leaf colors ranging from dark green to grey green and blueish purple, sometimes even yellow. Flowers range from white to purple and present a form of whorl known as a verticillaster. The corolla has two lips and the four lobes. It produces a small seed pod.

A Mint Plant grows quickly in a preferred soil of shade and moisture but can grow anywhere. Mint can reach over three feet (a metre) in length and it is considered an invasive plant by many gardeners. Roots spread quickly with a set of runners and have the ability to colonize a large area of ground. Some varieties are more invasive than others.

Propagation is by seed but more usually cuttings. The most popular types of mint grown are peppermint, applemint and spearmint varieties. They are particularly good plants for repelling pests and predators and a good companion plant for that reason, if spreading can be contained.

For more information about how to grow mint we have a dedicated page on this website. Growing mint is easy and every household, even an apartment can grow herbs on the windowsill or balcony and can yield a good crop.

Here are some common varieties:-

Mentha aquatica - Water mint, or Marsh mint

Mentha arvensis - Corn Mint, Wild Mint, Japanese Peppermint, Field Mint

Mentha asiatica - Asian Mint

Mentha australis - Australian mint

Mentha canadensis

Mentha cervina - Hart's Pennyroyal

Mentha citrata - Bergamot mint

Mentha crispata - Wrinkled-leaf mint

Mentha cunninghamii

Mentha dahurica - Dahurian Thyme

Mentha diemenica - Slender mint

Mentha gattefossei

Mentha grandiflora

Mentha haplocalyx

Mentha japonica

Mentha kopetdaghensis

Mentha laxiflora - Forest mint

Mentha longifolia - Mentha sylvestris, Horse Mint

Mentha peperita - Peppermint

Mentha pulegium - Pennyroyal

Mentha requienii - Corsican mint

Mentha sachalinensis - Garden mint

Mentha satureioides - Native Pennyroyal

Mentha spicata - M. viridis, Spearmint, Curly mint

Mentha suaveolens - Apple mint, Pineapple mint (a variegated cultivar of Apple mint)

Mentha vagans - Gray mint

Mint is used extensively in cuisine and health and beauty industries. Popular uses include candy and toothpastes. It is also used in menthol form or pure oil form in candles, bath preparations, perfumes, liqueurs and cigarettes. It is a very versatile taste and fragrance that lends well to both sweet and savoury uses in cooking.

The Mint Plant is available in many horticultural and garden center outlets and mail order purchase everywhere.

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