Apple mint

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Plant Info
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Scientific classification
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Binomial name
Mentha suaveolens Ehrh.
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Synonyms
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Apple mint (sometimes called woolly mint) (Mentha suaveolens; syn. M. rotundifolia; syn. Mentha macrostachya Ten.; syn. Mentha insularis Req.) is a member of the mint genus Mentha that ranges through southern and western Europe and the western Mediterranean region. It is a herbaceous, upright perennial plant that is most commonly grown as a culinary herb and/or ground cover.

It typically grows to 40-100 cm tall and spreads by rhizomes to form clonal colonies. The foliage is light green, with the sessile leaves being oblong to nearly ovate, 3-5 cm long and 2-4 cm broad. They are somewhat hairy on top and downy underneath with serrated edges.

Apple mint has light purple-pink flowers; flowering is from mid to late summer.

Cultivation and Uses

An attractive herb, Apple mint is often used as an ornamental plant. It is hardy and easy to grow, preferring full-sun to lightly-shady conditions.

The leaves of this plant can be used to make Apple mint jelly, as well as a flavoring in dishes such as Apple mint couscous. It is also often used to make a mint tea, as a garnish, or in salads.

Pineapple mint (Mentha sauveolens 'Varigata') is a cultivar of Apple mint that has leaves which are banded with white. A hybrid derived from it is Grapefruit mint (Mentha suaveolens x piperata).

External links and References

• Pink, A. (2004). Gardening for the Million.. Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. 
• Natural History Museum: Mentha sauveolens
• Plants for a Future: Mentha sauveolens