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Mentha arvensis (Wild mint)
Bruso, George H.

Mentha arvensis L.

Wild mint

Lamiaceae (Mint Family)

Synonyms: Mentha canadensis, Mentha arvensis ssp. borealis

USDA Symbol: mear4

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

Dense whorls of tiny, white, pale pink, or lavender, bell-shaped flowers nearly hidden by the opposite leaves in hairy leaf axils on the square stems of a branched, minty-smelling plant.

One of the few native mints, this aromatic perennial has glands containing essential oils, and the leaves are used as flavorings in sauces, jellies, and beverages. The genus name Mentha comes from Mintho, mistress of Pluto, ruler of Hades. His jealous queen, Proserpine, upon learning of Mintho, trampled her, transforming her into a lowly plant forever to be walked upon. Pluto made this horrible fate more tolerable by willing that the more the plant was trampled, the sweeter it would smell. The 4-lobed and nearly symmetrical clusters of flowers along the stem distinguish this so-called true mint from many others that have flowers in slender spikes at the stem tips or in upper axils.

 

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Leaf: Green
Flower:
Fruit:

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Purple
Bloom Time: Jul , Aug , Sep

Distribution

USA: AK , AR , AZ , CA , CO , CT , DC , DE , IA , ID , IL , IN , KS , KY , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MT , NC , NE , NH , NJ , NM , NV , NY , OH , OR , PA , RI , SD , TN , TX , UT , VA , VT , WA , WI , WV , WY
Canada: MB , NB , NL , NS , PE , QC
Native Distribution: Throughout North America, except from Florida west to Louisiana and Oklahoma, and Arctic.
Native Habitat: Moist places, especially along streams.
USDA Native Status: L48(N), AK(N), CAN(N), SPM(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist , Wet
CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium

Benefit

Use Food: This aromatic perennial has glands containing essential oils, and the leaves are used as flavourings in sauces, jellies, and beverages. (Niering)
Warning: The fruit of this plant is toxic and may be fatal if ingested in large quantities. It is especially dangerous to children, who may mistake the fruit for grapes. Sensitivity to a toxin varies with a person’s age, weight, physical condition, and individual
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Fragrant Flowers: yes
Interesting Foliage: yes
Fragrant Foliage: yes

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:

Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR
* Available Online from Wildflower Center Store

Bibliography

* The Midwestern Native Garden: Native Alternatives to Nonnative Flowers and Plants An Illustrated Guide (2011) Adelman, Charlotte and Schwartz, Bernard L.

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Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Mentha arvensis in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Mentha arvensis in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Mentha arvensis

Metadata

Record Modified: 2012-12-09
Research By: TWC Staff

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