Mint

Spearmint (Mentha spicata, syn M. viridis) is a species of mint native to central and southern Europe, where it grows in wet soils.

Spearmint is a herbaceous perennial plant growing 30 to 100 cm tall, with leaves growing 5-9 cm long and 1.5-3 cm broad, having a serrated margin.
The flowers are produced in slender spikes, each flower pink or white, 2.5-3 mm long and broad.

Hybrids involving spearmint include peppermint (Mentha × piperita, hybrid with watermint M. aquatica), gingermint (Mentha × gracilis, syn M. cardiaca, hybrid with cornmint Mentha arvensis), and large apple mint (Mentha × villosa, hybrid with apple mint Mentha suaveolens).

Spearmint is grown for its aromatic and carminative oil, referred to as oil of spearmint.
It grows well in nearly all temperate climates. Gardeners often grow it in pots or planters due to its invasive spreading roots.

The plant prefers partial shade, but can flourish in full sun to mostly shade. Loamy soils with plenty of organic material are best suited to spearmint.
When growing spearmint for culinary purposes, fertilize with a well balanced fertilizer, organic composts, or manure.

To harvest for culinary purposes, simply cut the branches, leaving a minimum of a third of the branch, which will encourage the plant to re-grow.
It should be noted that the leaves will lose their aromatic appeal after the plant flowers. Spearmint leaves can be used whole, chopped, or dried.

Apple mint (Mentha suaveolens, syn. M. rotundifolia) is a member of the mint genus Mentha that ranges through southern and western Europe and the western Mediterranean region. It is a herbaceous, upright perennial plant that is most commonly grown as a culinary herb and/or ground cover.

This plant is often used as an ornamental plant, and it is hardy and easy to grow, preferring full-sun to lightly-shady conditions.

The leaves of this plant can be used to make Apple mint jelly, as well as a flavoring in dishes such as Apple mint couscous. It is also often used to make a tea, as a garnish, or in salads.

Pineapple mint (Mentha sauveolens ‘Varigata’) is a cultivar of Apple mint that has leaves which are banded with white. A hybrid derived from it is Grapefruit mint (Mentha suaveolens x piperata).

Peppermint (Mentha × piperita) is a (usually) sterile hybrid mint, a cross between watermint (Mentha aquatica) and spearmint (Mentha spicata).
It is occasionally found wild with its parent species in central and southern Europe, but the first intentional crossbreed of watermint and spearmint was done in England. Being sterile, it spreads by rooting.

Peppermint is generally regarded as ‘the world’s oldest medicine’, with archeological evidence placing its use at least as far back as ten thousand years ago.

Peppermint has a high menthol content, and is often used as a flavouring in tea, ice cream, confectionery, chewing gum, and toothpastemints.
The oil also contains menthone and menthyl esters. It is the oldest and most popular flavour of mint-flavored confectionery. Peppermint can also be found in some shampoos and soaps, which give the hair a minty scent and produce a cooling sensation on the skin.

Peppermint flowers are heavy nectar producers and honeybees as well as other nectar harvesting organisms forage them heavily.
A mild, pleasant varietal honey can be produced if there is sufficient acreage of plants.