Garden Mint ( Spearmint)

Description

Mentha spicata – garden mint (spearmint)

Botanical name: Mentha spicata
Common names: Garden mint, spearmint
Family: Lamiaceae (mint family)
Plant type: Herbaceous perennial herb
Habit: Vigorous, spreading by runners
Pot size: 1 litre pot
Eventual size: Approx. 30–60cm tall × spreading indefinitely
Foliage: Aromatic, bright green wrinkled leaves with a classic fresh mint scent
Flowers: Slim spikes of small lilac-pink flowers in summer (July–September)
Scent: Strongly aromatic minty foliage
Aspect / light: Full sun to partial shade
Soil: Moist, fertile; any pH
Hardiness: RHS H7 (very hardy, below −20°C); USDA zones 5–9
Exposure: Sheltered or open
Native range: Native to Europe and Asia
Toxicity / pet & child safety: Generally considered non-toxic to people and pets

Mentha spicata, garden mint or spearmint, is a vigorous aromatic herb with bright green wrinkled leaves and a classic fresh mint scent. Easy and fast-growing, it is best contained, as it spreads energetically.

GardenAdvice notes

The classic, familiar garden mint, spearmint is a vigorous, aromatic perennial with bright green, sweetly scented leaves. Wonderfully easy to grow — in fact almost too easy, as it spreads rapidly by underground runners — it is a must-have aromatic herb, best grown in a container or a contained bed to keep its enthusiasm in check. Its summer flowers are loved by bees.

Growing & planting

Plant in spring in moist, fertile soil in full sun to partial shade. Because it spreads so vigorously by runners, it is best grown in a pot, or in a bottomless bucket sunk into the border, to stop it taking over. In an open bed it will run widely. Keep it moist for lush growth.

Care & maintenance

Low-maintenance, apart from keeping it in bounds. Cut it back through the season to encourage fresh growth, and cut down the old growth in autumn or late winter. If grown in a pot, divide and refresh it into new compost each spring, as it soon exhausts a container. Keep it well watered.

Propagation

• Division: Lift and divide, or detach rooted runners, in spring — extremely easy.
• Cuttings: Sprigs root readily in water or moist compost.

Pests & diseases

Generally trouble-free, though mint rust (orange pustules on the leaves) can occur — remove and destroy affected growth. Its main ‘issue’ is vigour, spreading far and wide if not contained.

Uses in the garden

Best in a container on a patio or by the kitchen door, or in a contained bed; useful as aromatic groundcover in a spot where its spread is welcome, and its flowers are a valuable addition to a pollinator planting.

Wildlife value

The summer flowers are very attractive to bees, hoverflies and other pollinating insects, making mint a useful plant to let flower for wildlife.

Toxicity & safety

Garden mint is generally regarded as non-toxic to people and pets.

GardenAdvice tip

The golden rule with mint is: grow it in a pot. It spreads by runners with astonishing vigour and will quickly colonise a border if planted in open ground, so a container — or a bottomless bucket sunk into the bed — keeps it where you want it. Refresh potted mint into fresh compost each spring, as it soon exhausts the pot and starts to look tired.

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