For other uses, see Mint (disambiguation). Mint may refer to: Mint, the herb Mints (candy) Mint (coin), where coins are produced Mint condition MiNT, the Atari ST operating system Mint (chess), a List of chess engines The Mint Las Vegas was a hotel in Las Vegas A character in the anime Galaxy Angel. ...

Mint
Mentha longifolia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Lamiales Family: Lamiaceae Genus: Mentha L.
Species
See text Image File history File links Download high resolution version (768x1024, 140 KB) Description: Mentha longifolia auf einer Alm im Bregenzer Wald. ... For other uses, see Scientific classification (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Plant (disambiguation). ... Classes Magnoliopsida - Dicots Liliopsida - Monocots The flowering plants or angiosperms are the most widespread group of land plants. ... Orders See text. ... Families See text The Order Lamiales is a taxon in the asterid group of dicotyledonous flowering plants. ... Genera Many, see text Ref: Delta 2002-07-22 Lamiaceae, or the Mint family, is a family of plants in about 180 genera and some 3,500 species. ... Carl Linnaeus, Latinized as Carolus Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as  , (May 23, 1707[1] – January 10, 1778), was a Swedish botanist, physician and zoologist[2] who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of nomenclature. ...

Mint is a genus of about 25 species (and many hundreds of varieties^[1]) of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae. Species within Mentha have a subcosmopolitan distribution across Europe, Africa, Asia,^[2] Australia, and North America. Several mint hybrids commonly occur. For other uses, see Genus (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Species (disambiguation). ... In botanical nomenclature, variety is a rank below that of species: As such, it gets a ternary name (a name in three parts). ... Classes Magnoliopsida - Dicots Liliopsida - Monocots The flowering plants or angiosperms are the most widespread group of land plants. ... The hierarchy of scientific classification In biological classification, family (Latin: familia, plural familiae) is a rank, or a taxon in that rank. ... Genera Many, see text Ref: Delta 2002-07-22 Lamiaceae, or the Mint family, is a family of plants in about 180 genera and some 3,500 species. ... A cosmopolitan distribution is a term applied to a biological category of living things meaning that this category can be found anywhere around the world. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... For other uses, see Asia (disambiguation). ... North America North America is a continent[1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ... // This article is about a biological term. ...

Mints are aromatic, almost exclusively perennial, rarely annual, herbs. They have wide-spreading underground rhizomes and erect, branched stems. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs, from simple oblong to lanceolate, often downy, and with a serrated margin. Leaf colors range from dark green and gray-green to purple, blue and sometimes pale yellow.^[2] Red Valerian, a perennial plant. ... Peas are an annual plant. ... Herbs: basil Herbs (IPA: hə()b, or əb; see pronunciation differences) are seed-bearing plants without woody stems, which die down to the ground after flowering. ... For other uses, see Rhizome (disambiguation). ... Look up foliage in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... In botany, the following terms are used to describe the shape of plant leaves: cordate leaf Acicular: slender and pointed Alternate (alternifolia): Arranged alternately Bipinnate (bipinnata): Each leaflet also pinnate Cordate (cordata): Heart-shaped, stem attaches to cleft Cuneate: Triangular, stem attaches to point Deltoid: Triangular, stem attaches to side... In botany, the following terms are used to describe the shape of plant leaves: cordate leaf Acicular: slender and pointed Alternate (alternifolia): Arranged alternately Bipinnate (bipinnata): Each leaflet also pinnate Cordate (cordata): Heart-shaped, stem attaches to cleft Cuneate: Triangular, stem attaches to point Deltoid: Triangular, stem attaches to side...

Species

This covers a selection of what are considered to be pure species of mints. As with all classifications of plants, this list can go out of date at a moment's notice. Listed here are accepted species names and common names (where available). Synonyms, along with cultivars and varieties (where available), are listed under the species. A cultivar is a cultivated variety of a plant species. ...

Binomial name Mentha aquatica L. Water mint (Mentha aquatica) is a perennial plant in the mentha genus common throughout Europe, except for the extreme North. ... Binomial name Mentha aquatica L. Water mint (Mentha aquatica) is a perennial plant in the mentha genus common throughout Europe, except for the extreme North. ... Binomial name Mentha arvensis L. Mentha arvensis is a species of mint native to most of Europe and Asia. ... Binomial name Boriss. ... Binomial name R. Br. ... Binomial name L. Mentha canadensis (syn. ... Bergamot mint (Mentha x piperita citrata syn. ... Bergamot mint (Mentha x piperita citrata syn. ... Binomial name Schrader ex Willdenow Mentha crispata is known by the common name of wrinkled-leaf mint. ... Binomial name Fischer ex Bentham Mentha dahurica is known by the common name of Dahurian Thyme. ... Binomial name Sprengel Mentha diemenica is known by the common name of slender mint. ... Binomial name Bentham Mentha laxiflora is known by the common name of forest mint. ... Binomial name Mentha sylvestris Mentha sylvestris is a species in the genus Mentha (Mint). ... Mentha sylvestris is a species in the genus Mentha (Mint). ... Binomial name Mentha pulegium L. The herb Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium, Lamiaceae), is a member of the mint genus; an essential oil extracted from it is used in aromatherapy. ... Binomial name L. The herb Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium, family Lamiaceae), is a member of the mint genus; an essential oil extracted from it is used in aromatherapy. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Binomial name Bentham Corsican mint (Mentha requienii) is a herb, native to Corsica, Sardinia, France, and mainland Italy. ... Binomial name (Briquet ex Miyabe & Miyake) Kudô Mentha sachalinensis is known by the common name of garden mint. ... Binomial name Mentha spicata Crantz Spearmint (Mentha spicata, syn ), the mint variety most commonly used in cooking, yields an aromatic and carminative oil, referred to as oil of spearmint. Many people use the name scotch spearmint for gingermint (Mentha x gracilis, syn ), a hybrid of spearmint and wild mint (Mentha... Binomial name Mentha spicata Crantz Spearmint (Mentha spicata, syn ) is a species of mint native to central and southern Europe, where it grows in wet soils. ... Binomial name Mentha suaveolens Apple mint (Mentha suaveolens) is a member of the mint genus Mentha that ranges through southern and western Europe and the Mediterranean. ... Binomial name Mentha suaveolens Apple mint (Mentha suaveolens) is a member of the mint genus Mentha that ranges through southern and western Europe and the Mediterranean. ... Binomial name Mentha suaveolens Apple mint (Mentha suaveolens) is a member of the mint genus Mentha that ranges through southern and western Europe and the Mediterranean. ... Binomial name Boriss. ...

Selected hybrids

The mint family has a large grouping of recognized hybrids. As with all classifications of plants, this list can go out of date at a moment's notice. Synonyms, along with cultivars and varieties where available, are included within the specific species.

Binomial name Sole The mint hybrid Mentha × gracilis (syn. ... Binomial name Sole The mint hybrid Mentha × gracilis (syn. ... Binomial name Mentha × piperita L. Peppermint (Mentha × piperita) is a (usually) sterile hybrid mint, a cross between watermint (Mentha aquatica) and spearmint (Mentha spicata). ... Binomial name Mentha × piperita L. Peppermint (Mentha × piperita) is a (usually) sterile hybrid mint, a cross between watermint (Mentha aquatica) and spearmint (Mentha spicata). ...

Cultivation

Mentha x gracilis and M. rotundifolia. The steel ring is to control the spread of the plant.

All mints prefer, and thrive, in cool, moist spots in partial shade^[3]. In general, mints tolerate a wide range of conditions, and can also be grown in full sun. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2576 × 1932 pixel, file size: 2. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2576 × 1932 pixel, file size: 2. ...

They are fast growing, extending their reach along surfaces through a network of runners. Due to their speedy growth, one plant of each desired mint, along with a little care, will provide more than enough mint for home use. Some mint species are more invasive than others. Even with the less invasive mints, care should be taken when mixing any mint with any other plants, lest the mint take over. To control mints in an open environment, mints should be planted in deep, bottomless containers sunk in the ground, or planted above ground in tubs and barrels^[3]. For other uses, see Rhizome (disambiguation). ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Invasive species. ...

Some mints can be propagated by seed. Growth from seed can be an unreliable method for raising mint for two reasons: mint seeds are highly variable, one might not end up with what one presupposed was planted^[3]; some mint varieties are sterile. It is more effective to take and plant cuttings from the runners of healthy mints.

The most common and popular mints for cultivation are peppermint (Mentha × piperita), spearmint (Mentha spicata), and (more recently) pineapple mint (Mentha suaveolens). Binomial name Mentha × piperita L. Peppermint (Mentha × piperita) is a (usually) sterile hybrid mint, a cross between watermint (Mentha aquatica) and spearmint (Mentha spicata). ... Binomial name Mentha spicata Crantz Spearmint (Mentha spicata, syn ) is a species of mint native to central and southern Europe, where it grows in wet soils. ... Binomial name Mentha suaveolens Apple mint (Mentha suaveolens) is a member of the mint genus Mentha that ranges through southern and western Europe and the Mediterranean. ...

Mints tend to make good companion plants, repelling pest insects and attracting beneficial ones. The common mints, like spearmint and peppermint, are considered good to grow among tomato and pepper plants, where they enhance flavor, repel aphids, attract parasitic wasps to eat caterpillars, provide "living mulch" ground cover, etc.^{[citation needed]} Companion planting in gardening and agriculture is planting of different crops in close physical proximity. ...

Chamomile is thought to make a good companion plant for mint, as well as increasing essential oil in mints, making them "stronger" in scent and flavor.^{[citation needed]}

Harvesting of mint leaves can be done at anytime. Fresh mint leaves should be used immediately or stored up to a couple of days in plastic bags within a refrigerator. Optionally, mint can be frozen in ice cube trays. Dried mint leaves should be stored in an airtight container placed in a cool, dark, dry area.^[4]

Culinary uses

The leaf, fresh or dried, is the culinary source of mint. Fresh mint is usually preferred over dried mint when storage of the mint is not a problem. The leaves have a pleasant warm, fresh, aromatic, sweet flavor with a cool aftertaste. Mint leaves are used in teas, beverages, jellies, syrups, candies, and ice creams. In Middle Eastern cuisine mint is used on lamb dishes. In British cuisine, mint sauce is popular with lamb.

Mint is a necessary ingredient in Touareg tea, a popular tea in northern African and Arab countries.

Alcoholic drinks sometimes feature flavor of mint, namely the Mint Julep and the Mojito. The Mint Julep is a mixed alcoholic drink, or cocktail, distinctive to the southern United States. ... Wikibooks Bartending has a page on the topic of Cocktails/Mojito A traditionally prepared mojito, in a collins glass, garnished with lime and mint. ...

Mint essential oil and menthol are extensively used as flavorings in breath fresheners, drinks, antiseptic mouth rinses, toothpaste, chewing gum, candies, and mint chocolate. The substances that give the mints their characteristic aromas and flavors are: menthol: the main aroma of Spearmint, Peppermint, and Japanese Peppermint (a major commercial source). pulegone: in Pennyroyal and Corsican Mint. Menthol is a covalent organic compound made synthetically or obtained from peppermint or other mint oils. ... Antiseptic mouth rinse, often called mouthwash, is an oral hygiene product that claims to kill the germs that cause plaque, gingivitis, and bad breath. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Mint chocolate, also known as Chocolate mint, is a popular variety of flavored chocolate. ... Binomial name Mentha spicata Crantz Spearmint (Mentha spicata, syn ) is a species of mint native to central and southern Europe, where it grows in wet soils. ... Binomial name Mentha × piperita L. Peppermint (Mentha × piperita) is a (usually) sterile hybrid mint, a cross between watermint (Mentha aquatica) and spearmint (Mentha spicata). ... Pulegone is a naturally occurring organic compound obtained from essential oils. ... Binomial name L. The herb Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium, family Lamiaceae), is a member of the mint genus; an essential oil extracted from it is used in aromatherapy. ... Binomial name Bentham Corsican mint (Mentha requienii) is a herb, native to Corsica, Sardinia, France, and mainland Italy. ...

Methyl salicylate, commonly called "oil of wintergreen", is often used as a mint flavoring for foods and candies due to its mint-like flavor. Methyl salicylate (chemical formula C6H4(HO)COOCH3; also known as salicylic acid methyl ester, oil of wintergreen, betula oil, methyl-2-hydroxybenzoate) is a natural product of many species of plants. ...

Mints are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Buff Ermine. Binomial name Spilosoma luteum Hufnagel, 1766 The Buff Ermine (Spilosoma luteum) is a moth of the family Arctiidae. ...

Medicinal and cosmetic uses

Mint was originally used as a medicinal herb to treat stomach ache and chest pains. During the Middle Ages, powdered mint leaves were used to whiten teeth. Mint tea is a strong diuretic. Mint also aids digestion. The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... For the industrial process, see anaerobic digestion. ...

Menthol from mint essential oil (40-90%) is an ingredient of many cosmetics and some perfumes. Menthol and mint essential oil are also much used in medicine as a component of many drugs, and are very popular in aromatherapy. “Make-up” redirects here. ... It has been suggested that Aromatherapy Candles be merged into this article or section. ...

A common use is as an antipruritic, especially in insect bite treatments (often along with camphor). Antipruritics, also known as anti-itch drugs, are medications that inhibit the itching (Latin: pruritus) that is often associated with sunburns, allergic reactions, eczema, psoriasis, chickenpox, fungal infections, insect bites and stings like those from mosquitoes, fleas, and mites, and contact dermatitis and urticaria caused by plants such as poison... R-phrases 11-20/21/22-36/37/38 S-phrases 16-26-36 RTECS number EX1260000 (R) EX1250000 (S) Supplementary data page Structure and properties n, εr, etc. ...

It is also used in cigarettes as an additive, because it blocks out the bitter taste of tobacco and soothes the throat.^{[citation needed]}

Many people also believe the strong, sharp flavor and scent of Mint can be used as a mild decongestant for illnesses such as the common cold.

In Rome, Pliny recommended that a wreath of mint was a good thing for students to wear since it was thought to "exhilarate their minds". Some modern research suggests that he was right.^{[citation needed]} There are two famous persons named Pliny: Pliny the Elder, a Roman nobleman, scientist and historian who died in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD The great-nephew of the former, Pliny the Younger, a statesman, orator, and writer who lived between 62 AD and 113 AD. This...

Insecticides

Mint leaves are often used by many campers to repel mosquitoes. It is also said that extracts from mint leaves have a particular mosquito-killing capability. For other uses, see Mosquito (disambiguation). ...

Mint oil is also used as an environmentally-friendly insecticide for its ability to kill some common pests like wasps, hornets, ants and cockroaches. It has been suggested that ovicide be merged into this article or section. ...

Diseases

Main article: List of mint diseases

This article is a list of diseases of mint (Mentha piperita, , and ). // Common Names of Diseases, The American Phytopathological Society Category: ...

Origin and usage of the word mint

Mint descends from the Latin word mentha, which is rooted in the Greek word minthe. Minthe has linguistic connections to a woman of the same name in Greek Mythology. ^[5] Latin was the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... In Greek mythology, Minthe (also Menthe, Mentha, Mintho, in Greek Μένθη) was a nymph associated with the river Cocytus. ... The bust of Zeus found at Otricoli (Sala Rotonda, Museo Pio-Clementino, Vatican) Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the Ancient Greeks concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. ...

Mint leaves, without a qualifier like peppermint or apple mint, generally refers to spearmint leaves. Binomial name Mentha spicata Crantz Spearmint (Mentha spicata, syn ) is a species of mint native to central and southern Europe, where it grows in wet soils. ...

In Central and South America, mint is known as hierbabuena (literally, "good herb"). In Lusophone countries, especialy in Brazil, mint species are poppulary kwonw as "Hortelã". In the Hindi and Urdu languages it is called Pudeena. For other uses, see Central America (disambiguation). ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... A Lusophone is someone who speaks the Portuguese language natively or by adoption. ... Hindi ( , Devanagari: or , IAST: , IPA: ), an Indo-European language spoken all over India in varying degrees and extensively in northern and central India, is one of the two central official languages of India, the other being English. ... Urdu ( , , trans. ...

The taxonomic family Lamiaceae is known as the mint family. It includes many other aromatic herbs, including most of the more common cooking herbs, including basil, rosemary, sage, oregano and catnip. For other uses, see Basil (disambiguation). ... Binomial name L. Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Rosmarinus officinalis Wikispecies has information related to: Rosmarinus officinalis Wikibooks Cookbook has an article on Rosemary Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is a woody, perennial herb with fragrant evergreen needle-like leaves. ... Binomial name L. Sage leaves - first variety Sage leaves - second variety Common sage (Salvia officinalis) is a small evergreen subshrub, with woody stems, grayish leaves, and blue to purplish flowers native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean region. ... Binomial name Origanum vulgare L. Oregano or Pot Marjoram (Origanum vulgare) is a species of Origanum, native to Europe, the Mediterranean region and southern and central Asia. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Nepeta. ...

As an English colloquial term, mint stands for any small sugar confectionery item flavored to taste like the aforementioned plant.^[1]

In common usage, several other plants with fragrant leaves may be erroneously called a mint. Vietnamese Mint, commonly used in Southeast Asian cuisine, is not a member of the mint family (taxonomic family Lamiaceae). Binomial name Persicaria odorata Lour. ... Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ...

Slang

In the south west of the United Kingdom, used adjectivally, the word can be used as a term of approbation or to express delight, as in "tha's mint, tha' is...". It is also used in New Zealand with the same meaning, but usually as an exclamation, as in 'mint!'.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Davidson, Alan (1999). The Oxford Companion to Food. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 508. ISBN 0-19-211579-0. 
2. ^ ^{a b} Brickell, Christopher; Zuk, Judith D. (1997). The American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. New York, NY, USA: DK Publishing, Inc., 668. ISBN 0-7894-1943-2. 
3. ^ ^{a b c} Bradley, Fern (1992). Rodale's All-new Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening. Emmaus, Pennsylvania, USA: Rodale Press, 390. ISBN 0-87857-999-0. 
4. ^ Ortiz, Elisabeth (1992). The Encyclopedia of Herbs, Spices & Flavorings. London: Dorling Kindersley, 36-37. ISBN 1-56458-065-2. 
5. ^ Quattrocchi, Umberto (1947-). CRC World dictionary of plant names: Common names, Scientific Names, Eponyms, Sonyonyms, and Etymology. CRC Press, 1658. 

Alan Eaton Davidson (March 30, 1924 - December 2, 2003) was a British diplomat and historian best known for his books on food and gastronomy. ... Judith D. Zuk (September 11, 1951—September 1, 2007) was an American botanist and conservationist who served as president of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden from 1990 to 2005. ...

External links

• Mentha/Mentha oil as a commodity traded in India
• Germplasm Resources Information Network: Mentha
• Flora Europaea: Mentha
• Flora of China: Mentha
• Medicinal use of mint in Armenia
• United States Department of Agriculture (Online Reference)
• Botanical.com entry on Mint
• Plants For a Future: Mentha genus search page