Mint Apple

Description

Mentha suaveolens – apple mint

Botanical name: Mentha suaveolens
Common names: Apple mint
Family: Lamiaceae (mint family)
Plant type: Herbaceous perennial herb
Habit: Vigorous, spreading by runners
Pot size: 1 litre pot
Eventual size: Approx. 40–90cm tall × spreading
Foliage: Soft, downy, rounded pale green leaves with a gentle apple-mint scent
Flowers: Slim spikes of small white to pale pink flowers in summer (July–September)
Scent: Strongly aromatic 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: Garden form; mints are native to Europe and Asia
Toxicity / pet & child safety: Generally considered non-toxic to people and pets

Mentha suaveolens, apple mint, is a vigorous aromatic herb with soft, downy rounded leaves and a gentle apple-mint scent. Easy and fast-growing, it is best contained, as it spreads energetically.

GardenAdvice notes

An aromatic, vigorous perennial, this mint forms spreading clumps of scented foliage and produces small flowers loved by bees in summer. Like all mints it is wonderfully easy — in fact almost too easy, spreading rapidly by underground runners — so it is best grown in a container or contained bed to keep it in check.

Growing & planting

Plant in spring in moist, fertile soil in full sun to partial shade. Because it spreads so vigorously by runners, grow it in a pot, or in a bottomless bucket sunk into the border, to stop it taking over. Keep it moist for lush, aromatic growth. Space about 30cm apart if using as contained groundcover.

Care & maintenance

Low-maintenance apart from keeping it in bounds. Cut it back through the season to encourage fresh growth, and cut down 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 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 trait is vigour, spreading widely if not contained.

Uses in the garden

Best grown in a container on a patio or by the door, or in a contained bed; its flowers are a valuable addition to a pollinator planting where its spread is welcome.

Wildlife value

The summer flowers are very attractive to bees, hoverflies and other pollinating insects, so letting mint flower is a bonus for wildlife.

Toxicity & safety

This herb is generally regarded as non-toxic to people and pets.

GardenAdvice tip

Apple mint has lovely soft, downy leaves and a gentler, fruitier scent than spearmint — but it’s every bit as much of a runner, so keep it in a pot or it will colonise the border. Let some of it flower for the bees, and refresh potted plants into new compost each spring.

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