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| Old-fashioned Mint |
Applemint: (M. rotundifolia)
Eau-de-cologne Mint: (M. piperita citrata)
Pennyroyal: (M. pulegium)
Peppermint: (M. piperita officinalis)
Spearmint: (M. spicata, or M. crispa, or M. viridis)
Propagation: cuttings, root division, seed. Spring.
Position: semi-shade to shade
Soil: rish, moist
Height: 30-90cm depending on variety
Part Used: leaves.
Mint is a versatile family; there are a number with very different flavours & scents. Above is a list of the most common, but there are many more , including rare mints like watermint, cornmint, catnip, Japanese peppermint, liquorice mint, ginger mint, basil mint, lemon mint. Mints hybridize with each other, which is the reason for so many varieties.
Mint is used as flavouring for everything from toothpaste and chewing gums to alcoholic beverages and herbal teas.
Mint belongs to the family Lamiaceae a very large family in the herb world including other common herbs such as rosemary, sage, thyme, basil and oregano.
The name mint comes from the Latin word menthe and Greek word minthe. In Greek mythology it is said that Persephone, jealous of the love her husband Pluto had
for the beautiful nymph Minthe turned her into a low growing mint. Pluto unable to undo the spell gave mint its wonderful smell, so that when walked upon she would not be forgotten.
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| Applemint |
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| Pineapple Mint |
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| Eau-de-cologne mint |
Eau-de-cologne mint is known as bergamot or orange mint. It has smooth, green leaves tinged with purple; oval in shape & grow up to 8 cms long & 25mm across.The stems are square (as is all mints) & purple in colour. The plants may reach 90cms high. In Autumn it flowers large & a deep shade of purple flowers.
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| Chocolate Mint |
Chocolate mint leaves have a delightful minty chocolate flavor. Chocolate mint thrives alongside water gardens or in damp spots in the yard. Lushest growth occurs in moist soil in partial shade. Crush fresh leaves into water for a refreshing beverage, or add to tea or coffee. You can also dry leaves for flavoring desserts, like ice cream, meringues, quick breads, or cakes. Pick leaves frequently. Plants open lavender blooms in late summer.
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| Penny Royal |
Pennyroyal has small, shiny green leaves & a strong peppermint scent. It is more of a ground cover & never grows higher than 25mm above the ground. It serves as a great groundcover in shady areas. The mauve flowers appear in Spring, in a series of circles along 30cms high stems. When flowering finishes, it can be mown, creating an easy to look after lawn, which only requires watering in dry weather.
Catmint
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| Catmint |
Cats love catmint. Catnip and catmint are very similar, both are part of the genus Nepeta, although the amount of the chemical that is so attractive to cats is larger in catnip.
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| Peppermint |
Peppermint is a most useful plant as it is the plant that you can make true peppermint oil from. Growing to 60cms tall, it has small pointed green leaves with a purple tint. The scent is so typically peppermint, it can't be mistaken for any other mint.
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| Ginger mint |
Ginger Mint adds a little Eastern flavor to your mint collection! This mint is reminiscent of Thai cooking, and adds a nice scent to the garden. It has lightly variegated leaves and is less invasive than most mints, also preferring a bit more shade. Try using Ginger Mint with lamb.
DESCRIPTION
Mint is an aromatic perennial herb, there are many different varieties, most having underground stolons that spread easily through the garden. They have branched square stems, with leaves arranged in opposite pairs. The oblong through to lance shaped leaves, range from smooth to crinkly and some downy, the margins can be smooth or serrate. Colours also vary from pale yellow green to deep dark green through to blue grey. The flowers are white to purple and produced in false whorls.
The substances that give the mints their characteristic aromas and flavors are menthol the main aroma of Peppermint and Japanese menthol mint and pulegone in pennyroyal and Corsican mint. The compound primarily responsible for the aroma and flavor of spearmint is R-carvone.
GROWTH
Mint is easy to grow, it likes a medium to rich soil, moist but not wet. While most information suggests growing in shade to part shade, I find the flavour and aroma is much more pronounced in plants that get more sun. If growing mint in full sun you do need to make sure you water regularly.
Mint can be invasive, the strong willed runners can extend far and wide through the garden, for this reason many people prefer to grow mint in pots. Add compost to the potting mix when planting your mint in pots to help the mix retain moisture.
You can also sink a large bottomless container or pot into the garden to plant your mint in, although you will still need to keep an eye on it to ensure it does not jump over the top.
Propagation of mint is best done by cuttings; this ensures that the mint will be the same as the plant you are cutting from. Mint seed can be variable, some mint seeds are sterile and some do not resemble the plant you thought you were getting and it can be very disappointing when the result is a mint with no flavour.
As mint is such a vigorous grower regular feeding with a liquid fertilizer will keep the plant healthy.
Plant mint along walkways, so it can be brushed against and release its refreshing aroma.
COMPANION PLANTING
Peppermint in the garden aids cabbage plants. The oil of the peppermint is greatly increased if planted near nettles. The oil is retarded if grown near chamomile, but the chamomile will have a greater oil content.
Spearmint is an excellent insect repellent & will keep away black flea beetles, cabbage & butterfly caterpillars, ants, fleas, certain aphids & supposedly, rodents. Dried leaves placed in drawers will deter moths. All varieties are supposed to stop milk curdling.
Pennyroyal is an excellent insect repellent & also ants. If you run pennyroyal on your skin, it will repel mosquitoes.
CULINARY
The leaves have a pleasant warm, fresh, aromatic, sweet flavor with a cool aftertaste. Mint leaves are used in teas, beverages, jellies, syrups, sweets, and ice creams.
Mint is commonly used with peas, carrots, potatoes, eggplant, beans, and corn to pep up the flavor.
To sweeten pineapple, add some fresh torn mint leaves. Try a Mint and watermelon salad with feta and black olives, mint leaves add a real freshness to salads.
Add chopped mint leaves to scrambled eggs, and omelets. Mint sauce is a traditional condiment served with lamb dishes. Mint can be frozen in ice cube trays.
Add a couple of dried mint leaves to the sugar bowl to add flavor to the sugar, for serving to guests with iced tea. Or add a couple of fresh mint leaves in the filter with the freshly ground coffee as it brews in the morning for a very pleasant cup of coffee.
Offer bright green sprigs of fragrant, fresh mint to nibble on after a meal to freshen the breath and help digestion.
The Mojito, a traditional Cuban cocktail said to be a favorite of the writer Ernest Hemingway, is made with rum, powdered sugar, lime juice, club soda and a mint unique to Cuba.
Traditional Mint Juleps:
* 5 med. fresh mint leaves plus one fresh sprig for garnishing
* 1 1/4 teaspoon sugar
* 2 tablespoon cold water
* Finely crushed ice
* 2 full ounces Kentucky Bourbon
Place the mint leaves, sugar and water in an 8 ounce silver julep cup or highball glass. With the back of a spoon, lightly crush the mint, and then stir until the sugar dissolves. Pour in the bourbon and pack the glass tightly, with crushed ice. With a long-handled spoon, gently giggle the mixture to mix the ice and bourbon together until the outside of the container becomes frosted. For the finishing touch, garish with a sprig of fresh mint before serving.
Makes 1 drink. (a traditionalist and true julep connoisseur would remove the crushed mint leaves before serving)
* 5 med. fresh mint leaves plus one fresh sprig for garnishing
* 1 1/4 teaspoon sugar
* 2 tablespoon cold water
* Finely crushed ice
* 2 full ounces Kentucky Bourbon
Place the mint leaves, sugar and water in an 8 ounce silver julep cup or highball glass. With the back of a spoon, lightly crush the mint, and then stir until the sugar dissolves. Pour in the bourbon and pack the glass tightly, with crushed ice. With a long-handled spoon, gently giggle the mixture to mix the ice and bourbon together until the outside of the container becomes frosted. For the finishing touch, garish with a sprig of fresh mint before serving.
Makes 1 drink. (a traditionalist and true julep connoisseur would remove the crushed mint leaves before serving)
Vietnamese Chicken & Mint Salad
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| Vietnamese Chicken & Mint Salad |
Ingredients
- 1 chile (hot Thai, seeded and minced)
- 1 clove garlic (peeled and minced)
- 1 tbsp sugar substitute (Splenda)
- 1 12 tsps rice vinegar
- 1 12 tbsps lime juice
- 1 12 tbsps fish sauce (nuoc nam or nam pla)
- 1 12 tbsps vegetable oil
- 12 onion (medium, finely sliced)
- black pepper
- 8 ozs cabbage (white, shredded)
- 1 carrot (medium, grated)
- 1 cup breast (cooked chicken, shredded or cut into fine strips)
- 1 bunch mint
- For the dressing, combine first 9 ingredients in a bowl and set aside for 30 minutes.
Combine cabbage, chicken, carrot, and mint in a separate large bowl.
Pour dressing slowly over the salad and mix well.
Season with salt and pepper if needed, and garnish with additional mint.
MEDICINAL
Peppermint leaf tea is used to treat indigestion, nausea, diarrhea, colds, headache and cramps. Mint leaves are known for their ability to calm a nervous stomach. They soothe the digestive tract and can help relieve stomachaches as well.
Peppermint is part of a popular tea blend for colds and flu, known as YEP tea it also contains yarrow and elder flower.
Studies have shown mint leaves may slow down some of the most harmful bacteria and fungi that are introduced into our bodies.
Spearmint will help bad breath. It also whitens teeth & conditions gums. Spearmint & peppermint are great hair conditioners. Soil of spearmint is refreshing in a bath. It helps heal chapped hands. Dried Eau-de-cologne makes a great addition to pot-pourri or sleep pillows.
OTHER
Mint 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. If you did this, with geranium petals, at a barbecue, it would smell lovely & keep insects at bay.
Place fresh mint in bowls when going away to help keep the air fresh.
The impersonators, which are known as mint, are not from the Genus ‘Mentha’. These include Vietnamese mint, stone mint, calamint and mountain mint.
Vietnamese Mint :
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| Vietnamese Mint |
Vietnamese mint is an herb whose leaves are commonly used in Southeast Asian cooking. Other English names for the herb include Vietnamese mint, Vietnamese coriander, Cambodian mint and hot mint. The Vietnamese name is rau răm, while in Malaysia and Singapore it is called daun kesom or daun laksa (laksa leaf). In Thailand, it is called pak pai (ผักไผ่). It is not related to the mints, but the general appearance and odor are reminiscent. Above all, the leaf is identified with Vietnamese cuisine, where it is commonly eaten fresh in salads and in raw spring rolls (goi cuon). Bowls of phở (beef noodles) are also typically garnished with Vietnamese mint. It is also popularly eaten with hột vịt lộn (fertilized duck egg, known as balut in the Philippines). In Singapore and Malaysia, the shredded leaf is an essential ingredient of laksa, a spicy soup, so much so that the Malay name daun laksa means "laksa leaf." In Australia the plant is being investigated as a source of essential oil (kesom oil). The Vietnamese mint is a perennial plant that grows best in warm and damp conditions. It cannot live in places with too much water. In advantageous conditions, it can grow up to 15 to 30 cm. In the winter or when the temperature is too high, it can wither. The top of its leaf is dark green, with chestnut-colored spots while the leaf's bottom is burgundy red. Its stem has sections. In Vietnam it can be cultivated or found in the wild.
Hope you have enjoyed this Minty Blog. Autumn is a great time to make a mint garden. Scour through op shops, or the tip, to pick up some interesting containers, as mint WILL take over your garden if not contained. An old bathtub sunk into the ground would make a great mint garden. Ive heard of big agi pipes being sunk vertically deep into the soil, to stop the mint roots getting "away", creating a high draping tube of mint. Remember they prefer a moist shady area, so if it is in full sun, you may need to water up to 3 times a day in extreme heat. With so many varieties of mint, you could have a spectacular display, or plant mint along paths so the scent will waft over you as you brush past. Have fun.
Happy Grubbing.
Tam.
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