Mint Chocolate

Description

Mentha x piperita ‘Chocolate’ – chocolate peppermint

Botanical name: Mentha x piperita ‘Chocolate’
Common names: Chocolate mint
Family: Lamiaceae (mint family)
Plant type: Herbaceous perennial herb
Habit: Vigorous, spreading by runners
Pot size: 1 litre pot
Eventual size: Approx. 30–45cm tall × spreading
Foliage: Aromatic dark green leaves flushed bronze-purple, with a distinctive chocolate-mint scent
Flowers: Slim spikes of small lilac 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 x piperita ‘Chocolate’, chocolate peppermint, is an aromatic mint with dark, bronze-flushed leaves and an unmistakable chocolate-mint scent. Fun and fast-growing, it is best kept contained.

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

Chocolate mint is a fun one — the dark leaves really do carry a chocolate-and-peppermint scent — and like all mints it’s a determined spreader, so grow it in a pot. The bronze-purple leaf tints are strongest in good light, and a mid-season trim keeps the aromatic new growth coming.

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