Spearmint
Spearmint grows with deeply etched veins and serrated leaves. It also produces a flower spike that is up to 4” long, which is beloved by pollinators. The main differentiator between mints is their scent/flavor, not their appearance. Spearmint has a more mild flavor with a lower menthol oil content.
Height & Spread: ~24” (spreads rapidly beyond 24” as plants shoot stolons underground)
A Note from the Grower
If you’re a lover of drinks and desserts, it is a no-brainer to include mint in your gardening repertoire. Mint is lovely to run your hands through for a little aroma therapy, and pollinators can’t get enough of the stuff. There are many mint varieties out there, but I deal with the basics for now—spearmint & peppermint.
Mint is a wonderful fresh herb to have on hand! It can be used in recipes, as a garnish (I love a sprig of mint in my iced tea in summer), and also in floral arrangements. While mint grows like a weed in ground, it grows like a weed in ground. I suggest keeping mint in containers if possible to retain its stoloniferous roots that will run every which direction and pop up in inconvenient places. Learn more about mint in the Plant Guide.
