The small leaves of this lovely little mint smell of strawberries when brushed. It has an interesting taste, good for experimenting within sweet dishes and fruit punches. 9x9cm pot (8cm depth)
Description
- Loved by bees
- Easy to grow
- Aromatic
- Interesting flavour
As well as a culinary herb and its use in confectionary, mint has traditionally been used as a tea for treating headaches and digestive disorders, in modern medicine it is widely used in the treatment of gastrointestinal tract disorders and relieving wind and colic. The flowers are very attractive to bees and it is thought to be a mouse and rat repellent. An interesting mint – the aroma is strawberry but the flavour certainly isn’t. One to try and see!
Plant Care
- Height: 60-100cm
- Type: Hardy
- Aspect: Sun/shade
- Soil: Any/alkaline
- Flower colour: Purple
- Flowering period: July - September
On the whole mints are fast growing perennials that love good rich soil and grow in both sun and shade successfully. Planted in heavy soils they spread rapidly and unless you have plenty of space can become a bit of a menace, in lighter soils their spread is limited and in very dry summers they can die. Most people grow their mints in containers and in the first year they are usually gorgeous and lush, it is in the second year when they emerge again in spring that the leaves are tiny and grow mostly around the edges of the container. This is because they grow so fast that the roots have filled the container completely and though additional feeding helps, there is just not enough oomph left in the soil to support a vigorous plant. The easiest thing to do is tip the whole root ball out and replant half of it back in the container with some fresh compost; it won’t be long before you have a fantastic looking mint again. The other half you can grow in another pot, give away or add to the compost heap.
Usage
Best known for flavouring confectionary and toothpaste, spearmint is the classic culinary herb for mint sauce, new potatoes, peas and lamb. A refreshing tea has a gentle calming action on the stomach, easing cramps and indigestion after a heavy meal and can help with hiccups. Added to bathwater it acts as a mild antiseptic and invigorates the skin. Use in all recipes, both sweet and savoury where mint is called for. The flowers are loved by bees and pollinating insects.