The leaves of Eau de Cologne mint have a delightful sweet floral citrus scent with only a subtle undertone of mint. This plant completely died back during our two-month stretch of night temps in the 20s and lower (dropped below 10 degrees a few times) but survived, being heavily mulched and protected under plastic sheeting. It was slow to emerge this spring but looks like it will bounce back.
This Mentha piperita Lime mint is a striking plant and in only one month is proving to be the standout in my mint garden. The dark green rounded 1 1/2-inch leaves have wine-purple veins and undersides, the same color as the sturdy upright stems. It has so far grown robustly during our windy, chilly early spring; looking forward to discovering how well it tolerates our brutally hot summer.
Mint is used in the treatment of stomach pain and chest pain (as tea). The strong, sharp flavor and aroma of mint is sometimes used as a mild decongestant for diseases like a cold. Mint tea is a strong diuretic.
Mint is used as an antipruritic (relieves pruritus), especially when treating insect bites (often along with camphor). Menthol oil helps against nausea and flatulence (gas in the intestine).
It's one of my very favorite mints, the aroma is nice and not too strong, the variegation makes it even better. Vigorous grower and can be invasive but easy to control for me because it's often wanted and asked for.
This mint has a fantastic scent, strawberry mint with just a hint of chocolate. Even just touching it leaves my hands smelling wonderful!
Very fast grower, could be invasive. I would recommend keeping it in containers.
This plant is tough! My last Chocolate Mint didn't make it through the winter, so I ordered another small start, which arrived looking dead. I planted it anyway, and within a week it was lush and green.
It's also very invasive, and spreads like, well, a weed. For that reason, I only grow it in containers.
Like all mints, this one is invasive. One way to control it is to grow it in a large plastic pot sunk into the garden. Keep it trimmed and make sure it does not get a chance to send out runners. Pinch back the creeping-sideways stems and it won't escape the pot.
Spearmint (Mentha spicata) is a valuable companion plant in the garden. In addition to being a larval host plant for the Grey Hairstreak and Painted Lady Butterflies, it reportedly also attracts beneficial insects such as hoverflies, and pirate, damsel, and big-eye bugs. These beneficial insects feed on aphids and other common garden pests. Mentha spicata also reportedly helps to repel Cabbage White butterflies and flea beetles.
Mentha spicata is also a pollinator magnet. Its white blossoms, which appear in mid to late summer, attract a variety of bees and butterflies.
Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium) reportedly attracts several beneficial insects to the garden, including Hoverflies, Mini-wasps, and Tachinid flies. These beneficial insects consume a variety of common garden pests. Pennyroyal also reportedly helps to repel flies, mosquitoes, and fleas.
Despite its usefulness as a companion plant, pennyroyal oil or essence should be avoided due to its high toxicity to both humans and animals. In addition, Pennyroyal should be planted in containers to minimize its aggressive spread in the garden.
This is my favorite of the mints I grow for tea, Like all mints, it spreads and unless you have a large garden space to dedicate to this plant, it is best grown in a container.
Easy to harvest and dry. It makes a very flavorful and aromatic tea. I also use the cold tea as a refreshing hair rinse on hot days. Feels as great on the scalp as the tea feels on the tongue.
Like most mints, this is a vigorous grower and survives quite a bit of abuse. Very easy to start from cuttings, and this is the preferred propagation method, as Mentha x piperita is a sterile hybrid, and therefore will not set viable seeds.
Flavor is sweet and a little bit "dark," but definitely not reminiscent of chocolate. The name likely comes from the brown color of the stems more than from the flavor profile.
This plant hybridizes with Mentha spicata (Spearmint) to produce Mentha × piperita (Peppermint), a sterile hybrid; it hybrizes with Mentha suaveolens (Apple Mint) to produce Mentha × suavis; with Mentha arvensis (Corn Mint) to produce Mentha × verticillata; and with both M. arvensis and M. spicata to give the tri-species hybrid Mentha × smithiana.
Harvesting of mint leaves can be done any time. Fresh mint leaves can be stored up to a couple of days in plastic bags in the refrigerator. Fresh mint leaves can also be frozen in ice cube trays. Dried mint leaves should be stored in an airtight container placed in a cool, dark, dry area.
Mints are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Buff Ermine.
Mints are said to make good companion plants, repelling pest insects and attracting beneficial ones. Mint oil is also used as an environmentally-friendly insecticide and is reported to kill some common pests like wasps, hornets, ants, and cockroaches.
Harvesting of mint leaves can be done any time. Fresh mint leaves can be stored up to a couple of days in plastic bags in the refrigerator. Fresh mint leaves can also be frozen in ice cube trays. Dried mint leaves should be stored in an airtight container placed in a cool, dark, dry area.
Mints are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Buff Ermine.
Mints are said to make good companion plants, repelling pest insects and attracting beneficial ones. Mint oil is also used as an environmentally-friendly insecticide and is reported to kill some common pests like wasps, hornets, ants, and cockroaches.
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