Mentha

Plant Characteristics

Habit		herbaceous
Height:	⇕	40 cm"cm" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 40.
Width:	⇔	15 cm"cm" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 15.
Lifespan:	⌛	perennial

Cultivation

Exposure:	☼	sun, part-sun
Water:	◍	moist, moderate
Features:	✓	flowers, fragrance, edible

Scientific Names

Lamiaceae >

Mentha >

Read about Mentha in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Mentha (from the Greek name of the nymph Minthe). Labiatae. Mint. Strong-scented perennial herbs; grown mostly for their essential oils but sometimes for ornament. The term mint, often applied to various species of Labiatae, is most frequently used to designate plants of the genus Mentha. This genus is characterized by its square sts. and opposite simple lvs. in common with others of the family, and especially by its aromatic fragrance, its small purple, pink or white fls., with mostly regular 10-nerved calyx, slightly irregular 4-cleft corolla and 4 anther-bearing stamens, crowded in axillary whorls and the whorls often in terminal spikes; ovary 4-parted, style 2-cleft: nutlets ovoid and smooth. —Many forms have been described, and the synonymy is extensive. About 30 species are now recognized, all native in the North Temperate Zone, about half of them being native or naturalized in N. Amer. Six species are cult. more or less for the production of aromatic essential oil, which is found in all parts of the herb, and especially in minute globules on the surface of the lvs. and calyx. Some of the species hybridize freely, producing innumerable intergrading forms which make the limitation of certain species difficult. The mints are scarcely horticultural subjects, although M. rotundifolia and M. Pulegium, as well as the little M. Requienii, may be used as border plants or ground-covers and for the ornamental foliage of some of the forms. They propagate readily by cuttings and division; some of them produce stolons. The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

Mentha (mint) is a genus of about 25 species (and many hundreds of varieties) of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae (Mint Family). Species within Mentha have a wide distribution around the world due to its usefulness. Several mint hybrids commonly occur.

Mints are aromatic, almost all perennial, rarely annual, herbs. They have wide-spreading underground rhizomes (roots) and erect, branched stems. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs, from simple oblong to lanceolate, often downy, and with a serrated margin. Leaf colors range from dark green and gray-green to purple, blue and sometimes pale yellow. The flowers are produced in clusters ('verticils') on an erect spike, white to purple, the corolla two-lipped with four subequal lobes, the upper lobe usually the largest. The fruit is a small dry capsule containing one to four seeds.

While the species that make up the Mentha genus are widely distributed and can be found in many environments, many grow best in wet environments and moist soils. Mints will grow 10–120 cm tall and can spread over an indeterminate sized area. Due to the tendency to spread unchecked, mints are considered invasive.

Species

This covers a selection of what are considered to be pure species of mints. As with all classifications of plants, this list can go out of date at a moment's notice. Listed here are accepted species names and common names (where available). Synonyms, along with cultivars and varieties (where available), are listed under the species.

Mentha aquatica – Water mint, or Marsh mint Mentha arvensis – Corn Mint, Wild Mint, Japanese Peppermint, Field Mint, Pudina (पुदिना in Hindi) 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 cunninghamia 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 pulegium – Pennyroyal Mentha requienii – Corsican mint Mentha sachalinensis - Garden mint Mentha satureioides - Native Pennyroyal Mentha spicata – M. cordifolia, Spearmint, Curly mint Mentha suaveolens – Apple mint, Pineapple mint (a variegated cultivar of Apple mint) Mentha vagans - Gray mint

Selected hybrids

The mint family has many recognized hybrids. Synonyms, along with cultivars and varieties where available, are included within the specific species.

Mentha × gracilis - Ginger Mint Mentha × piperita – Peppermint Mentha × rotundifolia (M. longifolia × M. suaveolens) - False Apple-mint Mentha × smithiana (M. aquatica × M. arvensis × M. spicata) - Red Raripila Mint Mentha × villosa (M. spicata × M. suaveolens) - Also called Mentha nemorosa, large apple mint, foxtail mint, hairy mint, woolly mint, Cuban mint, mojito mint, and is known as Yerba Buena in Cuba. Mentha × villosonervata (M. longifolia × M. spicata) - Sharp-toothed Mint

Cultivation

Mentha x gracilis and M. rotundifolia. The steel ring is to control the spread of the plant.

All mints prefer, and thrive, in cool, moist spots in partial shade. In general, mints tolerate a wide range of conditions, and can also be grown in full sun.

They are fast growing, extending their reach along surfaces through a network of runners. Due to their speedy growth, one plant of each desired mint, along with a little care, will provide more than enough mint for home use. Some mint species are more invasive than others. Even with the less invasive mints, care should be taken when mixing any mint with any other plants, lest the mint take over. To control mints in an open environment, mints should be planted in deep, bottomless containers sunk in the ground, or planted above ground in tubs and barrels.

The most common and popular mints for cultivation are peppermint (Mentha × piperita), spearmint (Mentha spicata), and (more recently) apple mint (Mentha suaveolens).

Mints are supposed to make good companion plants, repelling pest insects and attracting beneficial ones.

Propagation

Some mints can be propagated by seed. Growth from seed can be an unreliable method for raising mint for two reasons: mint seeds are highly variable, one might not end up with what one presupposed was planted; some mint varieties are sterile. It is more effective to take and plant cuttings from the runners of healthy mints.

Pests and diseases

Main article: List of mint diseases

Uses

Herb for cooking, flavoring, medicine, cosmetics, mint oil, teas, salads.

Harvesting of mint leaves can be done at anytime. Fresh mint leaves should be used immediately or stored up to a couple of days in plastic bags within a refrigerator. Optionally, mint can be frozen in ice cube trays. Dried mint leaves should be stored in an airtight container placed in a cool, dark, dry area.

References

• w:Mentha. Some of the material on this page may be from Wikipedia, under the Creative Commons license.
• Mentha QR Code (Size 50, 100, 200, 500)

External links

• Medicinal use of mint in Armenia