Mints are aromatic, almost exclusivelyperennialherbs. They have wide-spreading underground and overgroundstolons[6] and erect, square,[7] branched stems. Mints will grow 10–120 cm (4–48 inches) tall and can spread over an indeterminate area. Due to their tendency to spread unchecked, some mints are consideredinvasive.[8]
Theleaves are arranged inopposite pairs, fromoblong to lanceolate, often downy, and with aserrated margin. Leaf colors range from dark green and gray-green to purple, blue, and sometimes pale yellow.[9]
Theflowers are produced in long bracts from leaf axils.[10] They are white to purple and produced in false whorls called verticillasters. The corolla is two-lipped with foursubequal lobes, the upper lobe usually the largest. Thefruit is a nutlet, containing one to fourseeds.
Mentha is a member of the tribeMentheae in the subfamilyNepetoideae. The tribe contains about 65 genera, and relationships within it remain obscure.[4] Authors have disagreed on thecircumscription ofMentha. For example,M. cervina has been placed inPulegium andPreslia, andM. cunninghamii has been placed inMicromeria.[11] In 2004, amolecular phylogenetic study indicated that bothM. cervina andM. cunninghamii should be included inMentha.[5] However,M. cunninghamii was excluded in a 2007 treatment of the genus.[11]
More than 3,000 names have been published in the genusMentha, at ranks from species to forms, the majority of which are regarded assynonyms orillegitimate names. The taxonomy of the genus is made difficult because many species hybridize readily, or are themselves derived from possibly ancient hybridization events. Seeds from hybrids give rise to variable offspring, which may spread through vegetative propagation. The variability has led to what has been described as "paroxysms of species and subspecific taxa"; for example, one taxonomist published 434 new mint taxa for central Europe alone between 1911 and 1916.[11] Recent sources recognize between 18[11] and 24[1] species.[12]
TheMentha ×piperita hybrid known as "chocolate mint"
The mint genus has a large grouping of recognized hybrids. Those accepted by Plants of the World Online are listed below.[1] Parent species are taken from Tucker & Naczi (2007).[11] Synonyms, along with cultivars and varieties where available, are included within the specific nothospecies.
The genus has asubcosmopolitan distribution across Europe, Africa – (Southern Africa), Asia, Australia – Oceania, North America and South America.[9][24] Its species can be found in many environments, but most grow best in wet environments and moist soils.
Mentha x gracilis andM. rotundifolia: The steel ring is to control the spread of the plant.
All mints thrive near pools of water, lakes, rivers, and cool moist spots in partial shade.[28] In general, mints tolerate a wide range of conditions, and can also be grown in full sun. Mint grows all year round.[29]
They are fast-growing, extending their reach along surfaces through a network ofrunners. Due to their speedy growth, one plant of each desired mint, along with a little care, will provide more than enough mint for home use. Some mint species are moreinvasive than others. Even with the less invasive mints, care should be taken when mixing any mint with any other plants, lest the mint take over. To control mints in an open environment, they should be planted in deep, bottomless containers sunk in the ground, or planted above ground in tubs and barrels.[28]
Some mints can be propagated by seed, but growth from seed can be an unreliable method for raising mint for two reasons: mint seeds are highly variable (i.e. one might not end up with what was supposedly planted)[28] and some mint varieties are sterile. It is more effective to take and plant cuttings from the runners of healthy mints.
Mints are supposed to make goodcompanion plants, repelling insect pests and attracting beneficial ones. They are susceptible towhitefly andaphids.
Harvesting of mint leaves can be done at any time. Fresh leaves should be used immediately or stored up to a few days in plastic bags in a refrigerator. Optionally, leaves can be frozen in ice cube trays. Dried mint leaves should be stored in an airtight container placed in a cool, dark, dry area.[31]
This sectionmay lack focus or may be about more than one topic. In particular, it treats the genusMentha ("mint") as if it were a single kind of plant, whereas many of the uses apply only to one species or cultivated variety of the genus. Pleasehelp improve this article, possibly bysplitting the section, or discuss this issue on thetalk page.(July 2019)
A jar of mint jelly, a traditional condiment served with lamb dishesLimonana (mint lemonade) served inDamascus,Syria
The leaf, fresh or dried, is the culinary source of mint. Fresh mint is usually preferred over dried mint when storage of the mint is not a problem. The leaves have a warm, fresh, aromatic, sweet flavor with a cool aftertaste, and are used in teas, beverages, jellies, syrups, candies, and ice creams. InMiddle Eastern cuisine, mint is used inlamb dishes, while inBritish cuisine andAmerican cuisine,mint sauce and mint jelly are used, respectively. Mint (pudina) is a staple inIndian cuisine, used for flavouring curries and other dishes.
Mint is a necessary ingredient inTouareg tea, a popular tea in northern African and Arab countries. Alcoholic drinks sometimes feature mint for flavor or garnish, such as themint julep and themojito.Crème de menthe is a mint-flavoredliqueur used in drinks such as thegrasshopper.
Menthol from mint essential oil (40–90%) is an ingredient of manycosmetics and someperfumes. Menthol and mint essential oil are also used inaromatherapy which may have clinical use to alleviate post-surgerynausea.[33][35]
Known in Greek mythology as the herb of hospitality,[38] one of mint's first known uses in Europe was as a room deodorizer.[39] The herb was strewn across floors to cover the smell of the hard-packed soil. Stepping on the mint helped to spread its scent through the room. Today, it is more commonly used for aromatherapy through the use of essential oils.
The taxonomic family Lamiaceae is known as the mint family. It includes many other aromatic herbs, including most of the more common cooking herbs, such asbasil,rosemary,sage,oregano, andcatnip.
As an English colloquial term, any small mint-flavoredconfectionery item can be called a mint.[42]
In common usage, other plants with fragrant leaves may be called "mint", although they are not in the mint family:
Mentha pliocenicafossil seeds have been excavated inPliocene deposits of Dvorets on the right bank of theDnieper river between the cities ofRechitsa andLoyew, in south-easternBelarus. The fossil seeds are similar to the seeds ofMentha aquatica andMentha arvensis.[43]
^abHarley, Raymond M.; Atkins, Sandy; Budantsev, Andrey L.; Cantino, Philip D.; Conn, Barry J.; Grayer, Renée J.; Harley, Madeline M.; de Kok, Rogier P.J.; Krestovskaja, Tatyana V. (2004). "Labiatae". In Kubitzki, Klaus; Kadereit, Joachim W. (eds.).The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants. Vol. VII. Berlin; Heidelberg, Germany: Springer-Verlag. pp. 167–275.ISBN978-3-540-40593-1.
^abBunsawat, Jiranan; Elliott, Natalina E.; Hertweck, Kate L.; Sproles, Elizabeth; Alice, Lawrence A. (2004). "Phylogenetics ofMentha (Lamiaceae): Evidence from Chloroplast DNA Sequences".Systematic Botany.29 (4):959–964.doi:10.1600/0363644042450973.JSTOR25064024.S2CID86816849.
^abcdeTucker, Arthur O.; Naczi, Robert F. C. (2007). "Mentha: An Overview of its Classification and Relationships". In Lawrence, Brian M. (ed.).Mint: The GenusMentha. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group. pp. 1–39.ISBN978-0-8493-0779-9.
^"Minted". 12 August 2014.Archived from the original on 2014-08-31. Retrieved2014-08-18.
^Wees, David (4 March 2015) [first published online 8 April 2013]."Mint, Economic Importance".The Canadian Encyclopedia.Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved2015-12-31.
^Sanderson, Helen; Renfrew, Jane M. (2005). Prance, Ghillean; Nesbitt, Mark (eds.).The Cultural History of Plants. Routledge. p. 106.ISBN0415927463.
^abcd"Peppermint oil". National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, US National Institutes of Health. 2014.Archived from the original on 2014-10-08. Retrieved2014-10-11.
^Jamila, F.; Mostafa, E. (2014). "Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used by people in Oriental Morocco to manage various ailments".Journal of Ethnopharmacology.154 (1):76–87.doi:10.1016/j.jep.2014.03.016.PMID24685583.
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