Scientific Name
Mentha arvensis L.
Common Name(s)
Wild Mint, Corn Mint, Field Mint, Common Mint
Synonym(s)
Calamintha arvensis, Mentha agrestis, Mentha albae-carolinae, Mentha alberti, Mentha allionii, Mentha angustifolia, Mentha anomala, Mentha approximata, Mentha arenaria, Mentha arguta, Mentha argutissima, Mentha arvensihirsuta
Scientific Classification
Family: Lamiaceae
Subfamily: Nepetoideae
Tribe: Mentheae
Genus: Mentha
Flower
Color: Pale purple
Bloom Time: Summer
Description
Mentha arvensis is a herbaceous perennial plant that grows up to 2 feet (60 cm) tall. It has a creeping rootstock from which produces erect or semi-sprawling squarish stems. Leaves are simple, hairy, coarsely serrated, and arranged in opposite pairs. They are up to 2.6 inches (6.5 cm) long and up to 0.8 inches (2 cm) wide.
The flowers are pale purple (occasionally white or pink) and appear in whorls on the stem at the bases of the leaves. Each flower is up to 0.15 inches (4 mm) long and has a five-lobed hairy calyx and a four-lobed corolla with the uppermost lobe larger than the other four stamens. Fruits are two-chambered carpels.

Hardiness
USDA hardiness zone 4a to 8b: from −30 °F (−34.4 °C) to 20 °F (−6.7 °C).
How to Grow and Care
Mint is one of the few culinary herbs that grow well in shady areas, although it can handle full sun if kept watered.
Cuttings of Mint will root easily in soil or water, and mature plants can be divided and transplanted. However, you can start new plants from seed. Sow outdoors in late spring or start seed indoors about 8 to 10 weeks before the last frost. Keep soil moist until seed germinates.
Mint prefers rich, moist soil with a slightly acidic pH between 6.5 and 7.0. If the soil is somewhat lean, top-dress yearly with organic matter and apply an organic fertilizer mid-season, after shearing.
To contain the roots and limit spreading, you can grow Mint in containers above or sunk into the ground. Be careful to keep container Mints from flopping over and touching the ground. Stems will root quickly if given a chance.
See more at How to Grow and Care for Mint Plants.
Origin
This species is native to Europe's temperate regions, western and central Asia, east to the Himalayas, eastern Siberia, and North America.
Links
- Back to genus Mentha
- Plantpedia: Browse flowering plants by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, or Origin
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