Mint

Mint is a fragrant herb in the genus Mentha, best known for its cool, fresh smell and taste. Peppermint and spearmint are the most famous kinds, and mint is used in teas, sauces, salads, candy and toothpaste all over the world.

Scientific Classification & Quick Facts

Common name	Mint
Scientific name	Mentha
Kingdom	Plantae
Phylum	Tracheophyta
Class	Magnoliopsida
Order	Lamiales
Family	Lamiaceae
Type	Fragrant perennial herb
Habitat	Damp, cool, partly shaded spots
Colours	Purple and white flowers
Flowering season	June to September
Height	10–120 cm
Edible parts	Leaves
Special feature	Spreads fast by runners above and below ground

Where the Name Comes From

The word mint comes from the ancient Greek minthe and the Latin mentha. In a Greek myth, Minthe was a nymph who was turned into a sweet-smelling plant.

The Mint Family

Mints belong to the plant family Lamiaceae, often called the mint family. It includes many other favorite herbs, such as basil, rosemary, sage, oregano and thyme.

Botanists usually count somewhere between about 15 and 25 species of Mentha. The exact number is hard to pin down, because mints cross with each other very easily. Peppermint itself is a natural hybrid of spearmint and water mint. Gardeners have also created many cultivated varieties with different scents.

Anatomy

Mints are perennial herbs, meaning they come back year after year. They spread quickly using runners, which are stems that creep along or just under the ground and send up new shoots.

A great way to spot a member of the mint family is to feel the stem: it is square. The leaves grow in opposite pairs and are usually oval or lance-shaped with toothed edges. Depending on the kind, they can be bright green, dark green, gray-green, purple-tinged or even variegated with cream.

In summer, mints produce small white, pink or purple flowers arranged in rings or spikes around the stem. Bees and butterflies love them.

Habitat

Wild mints grow across Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and North America. Many of them prefer damp places, such as stream banks, ditches and wet meadows. Depending on the species, mint can grow anywhere from about 4 inches to 4 feet (10 to 120 cm) tall.

Growing Mint at Home

Mint is one of the easiest herbs to grow, which makes it perfect for beginners and kids. The main challenge is stopping it from taking over.

Soil and Sun

Mint grows in full sun or partial shade. In hot climates, a spot with afternoon shade is best. It likes rich, moist, well-drained soil with a pH of about 6.0 to 7.0.

Planting

The easiest way to start mint is from a cutting. Snip a healthy stem about 4 to 6 inches long, remove the lower leaves, and place it in a glass of water. In a week or two, roots will grow, and you can plant it in soil. You can also buy small plants from a garden center.

Because its runners spread so fast, many gardeners grow mint in a pot. If you plant it in the ground, sink a bottomless bucket or pot into the soil around it to keep the roots from escaping.

Watering

Mint likes more water than many herbs. Keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy. Plants in pots dry out faster, so check them every day or two in hot weather, and water when the top of the soil feels dry. A layer of mulch helps hold moisture in garden beds.

Care and Feeding

Mint does not need much fertilizer. A little compost in spring, or a light liquid feed once a month in the growing season, is plenty. Too much fertilizer can make the leaves less flavorful.

Pinch off the tips of the stems often. This makes the plant bushier. Mint flowers from about midsummer to early fall. Trimming plants before they flower keeps the leaves tasting their best.

Pests and Diseases

Mint is a tough plant, but it can be bothered by aphids, whiteflies, spider mites, slugs and snails. A spray of water knocks off many small insects. A fungus called mint rust can cause orange spots on the leaves. Remove affected stems and give plants room for air to move.

Harvesting and Storing Mint

You can pick mint leaves whenever the plant is growing well. Snip whole sprigs just above a pair of leaves, and new shoots will grow from that point. For a big harvest, cut the stems back to about an inch above the soil, and the plant will regrow.

Fresh mint keeps for a few days in the refrigerator, wrapped in a damp paper towel or stood in a glass of water. To keep it longer, hang small bunches upside down in a dry, airy place, dry the leaves on a tray, or freeze chopped leaves in ice cube trays with water.

Uses and Safety

Mint is used in cooking, drinks and desserts around the world, from mint tea in Morocco to mint sauce in Britain. It has also been traditionally used to soothe an upset stomach. If you want to use mint for health reasons, ask a doctor first.

Mint oils are very strong and should not be swallowed. One species, pennyroyal, is toxic and should never be eaten or used on pets. Large amounts of mint can upset cats and dogs, so ask a vet before giving any to pets.

Varieties

• Peppermint (Mentha x piperita): strong and cool, used in candy and tea.
• Spearmint (Mentha spicata): milder and sweeter, popular in cooking and chewing gum.
• Corn mint or wild mint (Mentha arvensis): a widespread wild mint, also called Japanese mint or pudina in Hindi. A cultivated form called banana mint has a fruity smell.
• Water mint (Mentha aquatica): grows in wet places; orange or bergamot mint is a citrus-scented form of it.
• Apple mint (Mentha suaveolens): soft, fuzzy leaves with a fruity scent.
• Australian mint (Mentha australis) and slender mint (Mentha diemenica): wild mints from Australia.
• Canada mint (Mentha canadensis): a wild mint of North America and Asia.
• Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium) and Hart’s pennyroyal (Mentha cervina): low-growing mints; pennyroyal is toxic if eaten.

Mint FAQs