Mints (Mentha sp)

This is the defining genus of the Mint family (Labiaceae). Mints are aromatic, often hairy plants with square stems and opposite pairs of leaves. The flowers form a tube ending in two “lips”, often in dense whorls at the tip of the stem or at leaf junctions. Native to Europe, they are grown widely for their flavour and scent. Mint is used extensively in the food and drink industry – think chewing gum, toothpaste and mint sweets. Menthol is one of the key constituents, that cools the mouth, freshens breath and is used topically in balms for pain relief.

There are a number of mints growing in this bed including our native water mint (Mentha aquatica), spearmint (Mentha spicata) and their hybrid offspring Peppermint (Mentha x piperita) which does not breed true from seed, so can only be propagated by cuttings. The latter two are the main mints used in herbal medicine. If you want to flavour your cooking or tea, there are also Ginger Mint (Mentha x gracilis), Basil Mint, Chocolate Mint and Lemon Mint (Mentha x piperita f. citrata), Corsican Mint (Mentha requienii), Moroccan Mint (Mentha spicata ‘Moroccan’), Apple Mint (Mentha suaveolens) and Pineapple Mint (Mentha suaveolens ‘Variegata’). Eau de Cologne Mint makes a lovely, perfumed bath but isn’t very nice as tea! Pennyroyal (Mentha pulgeium) is safe to enjoy as a tea for colds and fevers or grown outside your door to repel ants, but use of the essential oil should be avoided as it causes irreversible kidney damage.

All true mints will spread via runners and can take over large areas of garden so they are best grown in pots or raised beds to control spread. This is why all our mints are in the one section of the Herb Garden. Mints readily hybridise, so this mint bed will become more homogeneous in smell and taste over time.

Mint is used widely in cooking – it is added to tomato sauces in Greece; mint sauce is traditionally served with lamb; and it is excellent in chocolate desserts. Peppermint can be too strong to cook with, so is generally saved it for tea and thus we would use Spearmint in most recipes.

Medicinal uses

Mint is probably best known for improving digestion – relieving trapped wind and cramps, very helpful in Irritable Bowel Syndrome. It is antiseptic (including anti-viral) and decongestant, so very useful in colds flus and sinus infections. It’s a lovely stimulating nervine for improving mental focus and concentration, as well as a useful tea to “pull yourself together” after a shock.

Mint tea (use this recipe to make any herbal tea)

Put 1 teaspoon dried mint (or 2teasoons/sprigs fresh mint) per cup into a tea ball or tea pot. Pour over just boiled water, cover with a lid or saucer and leave to infuse for 5 minutes. Sweeten if desired and enjoy. In the Eastern Mediterranean, mint leaves are often boiled in the kettle to make tea and sweetened with honey or sugar syrup.