Mint Herb Information

Mint Characteristics

• perennial
• erect, branching stem to 2 feet tall
• opposite leaves finely toothed
• leaves and leaf margins smoother than spearmint leaves
• leaves have short stems
• purple to pink tubular flowers in terminal spikes, interrupted whorls
• distinct minty smell
• found near houses, garden escapes

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Mint Images

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Where to Buy Mint

Mint is available as seeds or plants. Depending on the time of year you may be able to find a plant at your nearby garden center. In case they’re are not available locally, here are some places that offer herb seeds and herb plants.

• Abundant Life Seeds Cottage Grove, OR
• Artistic Gardens / Le Jardin du Gourmet St. Johnsbury Center, VT
• Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds Mansfield, MO
• Bluestone Perennials, Inc. Madison, OH
• BorgheseGardens.com Gautier, MS
• Bountiful Gardens Palo Alto, CA
• Companion Plants Athens, OH
• Ed Hume Seeds Puyallup, WA
• Eden Organic Nursery Services, Inc. Davie, FL
• Garden Medicinals and Culinaries Mineral, VA
• GreenDealer Exotic Seeds Louisville, KY
• Heirloom Seeds West Elizabeth, PA
• Henry Field Seed and Nursery Co. Aurora, IN
• High Altitude Gardens Cornville, AZ
• Irish Eyes Garden Seeds Ellensburg, WA
• Jim Johnson, Seedman Gautier, MS
• John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds, LLC. Bantam, CT
• Johnny’s Selected Seeds Winslow, ME
• Jung Quality Seeds Randolph, WI
• Logee’s Greenhouses, Ltd. Danielson, CT
• NESEED.com Hartford, CT
• Nichols Garden Nursery Albany, OR
• Ornamental Edibles San Jose, CA
• Otto Richter and Sons Limited. Goodwood, ON, Canada
• Peaceful Valley Farm Supply, Inc. Grass Valley, CA
• Pepper Gal Fort Lauderdale, FL
• Peters Seed and Research may be out of business,
• Pinetree Garden Seeds New Gloucester, ME
• R.H. Shumway’s Randolph, WI
• Redwood City Seed Co. Redwood City, CA
• Renee’s Garden Seeds Felton, CA
• Seed Savers Exchange Decorah, IA
• Southern Exposure Seed Exchange Mineral, VA
• Stokes Seeds Inc. Buffalo, NY
• The Cook’s Garden Warminster, PA
• Thompson and Morgan Jackson, NJ
• Underwood Gardens Chino Valley, AZ
• Veseys Seeds Ltd. Calais, ME
• Victory Seed Company Molalla, OR
• W. Atlee Burpee & Co. Warminster, PA
• Willhite Seed, Inc. Poolville, TX

In case you can’t find what you’re looking for commercially, take a look at some of the online seed swap sites where you can find many unusual plants and common ones, too.

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Chef’s Article: Mint Comes In Many Flavors

by Naomi Gallagher

Mint is a term that may refer to one of 300 species in the mint family, but more often mint refers in a generic way to only a handful of plants. Mints tend to have sharp or piercing strong aromas and a peppery hot taste that may linger on the palate.

Popular herb garden mint plants may be unique species or hybrids between two mint species. Peppermint is one such hybrid although it was originally thought to be its own species. It is the result of cross-fertilization of spearmint, Mentha spicata, and water mint, M. aquatica. Being a hybrid plant, peppermint is represented as Mentha x piperita. It is also known as M. balsamea.

Other hybrid mints have distinct aromas and flavors for which they’re named. Ginger mint, Mentha x gracilis, also known as M. cardiaca, is a hybrid between spearmint and M. arvensis. Apple mint, Mentha x villosa, is a hybrid between spearmint and M. suaveolens.

Garden varieties of peppermint have been developed into cultivars that breed true and are regularly grown for their unique aromas and flavors. Orange mint, Mentha x piperita ‘Citrata’, and cocoa mint, Mentha x piperita ‘Chocolate mint’, are two examples of peppermint cultivars.

Peppermint in all its varieties is a perennial plant. Being a hybrid peppermint doesn’t set seed and instead it spreads by underground rhizomes or surface runners that aggressively seek new areas for extending their growth. In some areas the mints are considered invasive. Peppermints are not fussy about soil requirements and will live in partial shade.

Gardeners have tricks for containing the wild roots of mint plants. Bottomless buckets can be sunk around a mint plant so that the roots will stay in one area. Wooden boards several inches wide can be sunk in the ground around the area to be contained. Alternatively, the mints can be planted in tubs in order to restrict the invasive root growth.

Small purple flowers in terminal spikes are a nice addition to the herb garden, but mint – like other herbs – should be harvested before flowering for the best flavor and aroma. Keeping mint plants pinched back or pruned will postpone flowering. Peppermint can be harvested as needed several times during the growing season.

Mints are grown for their fragrance. Fresh and dried leaves are used for flavoring sauces and beverages. Some of the foods made with or flavored by mint include mint jelly, mint sauce, herbal teas, iced teas, fruit drinks, candies and sweets. Peppermint has a particular affinity for chocolate. Some meat dishes use mint to offset strong tastes, for example lamb is often served with mint jelly.

Fresh peppermint leaves make an excellent garnish for beverages, dinner plates and serving plates. Chewing on a sprig of mint will freshen breath after a meal. Eating a couple leaves may help with digestion. Fresh leaves are available from early spring through late fall.

Oil of mint is the source of menthol which is used on an industrial scale for flavoring confections, liqueurs, toothpastes, mouth washes, medicines and cigarettes.

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