Mint Varieties

May 09, 2024 Post a Comment

Mint varieties

You may be surprised to learn there are over 600 varieties of mint on the planet! The mint plant produces a ton of herbs and flavors that are distinct from one another.

What is the best tasting mint?

Peppermint (Mentha x piperita 'Mitcham'). The best-tasting peppermint is found under various names throughout the country: 'Mitcham', black-stemmed, 'Blue Balsam', and even chocolate mint. It is highly mentholated, almost hot, and full of flavor.

What is the sweetest variety of mint?

1. Apple Mint. Apple mint, Mentha suaveolens, is sweeter than most other mint varieties.

What is the hardiest mint?

Peppermint (M. piperita) is one of the hardiest varieties and is great for cooking.

What is the easiest mint to grow?

As the name suggests, banana mint (Mentha arvensis 'Banana') is a low-growing variety with a scent and taste similar to bananas. Like all mints, it's easy to grow and being perennial, will return year after year.

What kind of mint do chefs use?

Spearmint. Spearmint is most commonly used in cooking for many recipes, including lamb, vegetables, and of course, mint juleps and mojitos.

What kind of mint plant keeps bugs away?

Spearmint and peppermint are often noted for their ability to repel flies, fleas, and spiders in the garden. One thing to keep in mind when planting mint is that it is an invasive plant and will spread quickly. It is best to grow mint in containers when you have space limitations.

What is the most versatile mint?

Apart from peppermint, spearmint is the most widely used species of mint, and the one most commonly used in the kitchen. It's the most versatile, and it's also my favourite.

Does mint prefer sun or shade?

Mint grows best in full sun to partial shade, should be planted early in the growing season and is generally hardy to -20° F. Mint prefers moist soil conditions, but excess water will promote root and leaf diseases.

Which is the best mint to grow?

Here are 11 of the best types of mints to grow in the garden.

01 of 11. Peppermint (Mentha × piperita)
02 of 11. Chocolate Mint (Mentha × piperita f. ...
03 of 11. Spearmint (Mentha spicata) ...
04 of 11. Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium) ...
05 of 11. Corsican Mint (Mentha requienii) ...
06 of 11. Watermint (Mentha aquatica) ...
07 of 11. ...
08 of 11.

Which mints are invasive?

List of Highly Invasive Herbs

All Mints, including Peppermint and Spearmint.
Pennyroyal, a member of the mint family.
Comfrey.
Bee Balm.
Lemon Balm.

Which mint is perennial?

Mint is a perennial herb grown for its aromatic leaves. It's extremely easy to grow, with a range of delicious flavours to choose from.

Does mint need a lot of water?

Spearmint, Mojito mint, Peppermint, Chocolate mint and Apple mint are some examples of Mints and they all really love water and do not like to dry up! It's hard to overwater it, but even a water-loving plant can get overwatered. Always feel the soil before watering - it should feel damp but not wet.

Does mint grow back every year?

Mint is frost tolerant. It usually dies back in the winter but comes back in spring. Because mint tends to take over, many gardeners plant mint in a small pot and then plant that pot in the ground or inside a larger container.

Where should you not plant mint?

Avoid duplicating photos showing mint planted in a single windowsill container with other herbs: mint does NOT do well planted with other common herbs such as lavender, rosemary, sage and thyme, as these herbs prefer soil dry-down and sunny locations.

Is it better to grow mint in a soil or water only?

Mint tolerates both “wet feet” and dry soils. However, I aim for a good balance between the two. Water the plant only when the soil feels dry to the touch and the pot is light.

Does mint spread when planted?

Mint can quickly take over and spread to areas where it's not wanted. Mint spreads primarily by rhizomes, which means by the roots. As the roots spread, they sprout a stems and leaves and eventually become their own plants. So to keep the mint plant from spreading all over the garden, the roots need to be contained.

What kind of mint is sold in grocery stores?

Of the two, spearmint is the one almost always sold in grocery stores and markets. So when a recipe calls for mint, it's generally spearmint, recognizable for its light-green, spear-shaped leaves and that classic sweet mint flavor. Spearmint is also commonly used to make gum and candy.

What did Native Americans use mint for?

It is widely used by Native Americans as a medicinal, home deodorizer, perfume, food and beverage flavouring, and as an ingredient in hair oil. They also used mint, along with Boneset and Sage, in a mixture taken as an expectorant and cough syrup.

Are any mint plants poisonous to humans?

Due to the low concentration of potentially harmful essential oils, eating raw wild mint or using dried plant material for tea is not harmful to humans. However, there is an exception: Mentha pulegium contains pulegone, a highly toxic essential oil derivate that can cause liver damage and death.