Mint

Growing facts

Scientific name

Mentha spp.

Origin

Europe, Asia and North Africa

Plant size

12–24 in, spreading indefinitely by runners

Growth rate

Fast

Sun

Full sun to part shade; afternoon shade in hot climates

Soil

Moist, rich soil

Soil pH

6.0–7.5

Pollination

Not needed for leaves

Cold hardiness

Dies back in frost but the roots survive deep cold, to about zone 4

USDA zones

4–11 (struggles in South Florida's summer heat and humidity)

Harvest

About 30 days from transplant; best from cuttings or divisions, not seed

When to plant (zones 9–11)

Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov

When to plant (zones 5–8)

Apr–Jun

Water

About every 3 days once established, without rain; more in heat, in pots and while young

Feeding

About every 30 days

Taste

Cool and sweet; peppermint is sharper with more menthol

Nutrition

Used in small amounts, so mostly flavor

Is mint safe to eat? Edible and toxic parts

What you can eat

• Leaves, fresh or dried
• Flowers

Toxic parts and cautions

• Toxic: Pennyroyal, a mint relative sometimes sold as a groundcover, is toxic; its oil and tea have caused liver failure and deaths. Never eat it or use it as a remedy.
• Take care: Don't put peppermint oil or menthol rubs on the face of a baby or young child; menthol can cause breathing problems.
• Good to know: Peppermint can worsen heartburn and reflux.
• Good to know: It spreads aggressively. Grow it in a container.

Pets: Leaves can cause vomiting and diarrhea in dogs and cats if eaten in quantity. Mint essential oils are dangerous for cats and shouldn't be diffused around them.

How to eat and enjoy mint

• Mint tea, hot or iced
• Mojitos and mint juleps
• Tabbouleh and mint chutney
• Fresh in salads, spring rolls and with lamb

Mint varieties (6)

• Apple · also Apple mint

  A mild, fruity mint with soft, fuzzy leaves.

  Mentha suaveolens; very vigorous.

• Chocolate · also Chocolate mint

  A peppermint with bronze-tinged leaves and a faint cocoa scent.

  Good in desserts and drinks.

• Kentucky Colonel

  A spearmint with large leaves, traditional in mint juleps.

  Mentha × cordifolia.

• Mojito · also Mojito mint, Hierba buena

  The mild, citrusy mint traditionally used in Cuban mojitos.

  Origin: Cuba

  Mentha × villosa.

• Peppermint

  A strong, cooling mint high in menthol.

  Mentha × piperita; a sterile hybrid grown from cuttings.

• Spearmint

  The classic cooking and tea mint, with a sweet, mild flavor.

  Mentha spicata.

Pests and diseases to watch for

• Scale insects

  Small bumps, waxy or shell-like, on stems and leaf veins; sticky honeydew and black sooty mold below.

  What to do: Scrub small colonies off with a soft brush.

• Mealybugs

  White cottony clusters in leaf joints, under leaves and on fruit stems; honeydew and sooty mold.

  What to do: Blast off with a strong spray of water.

• Aphids

  Clusters of tiny soft insects on new shoots; leaves curl and get sticky.

  What to do: Spray off with water.

• Sooty mold

  Black, papery film on leaves and fruit that wipes off; it grows on honeydew.

  What to do: Control the insects making honeydew; the mold then weathers away.

• Spider mites

  Fine pale speckling on leaves, dusty undersides and fine webbing; leaves bronze and drop.

  What to do: Hose the undersides of leaves.