22 Different Types of Mint Plant
Of all the plants we can grow in our own gardens, few would be considered as valuable and useful as the mint plant. But with so many types of mint plant available to us, how do you choose the perfect mint variety for your garden?
While the perennial herb is found in everyday commercial items such as toothpaste, gum, and beauty products it is also a relatively easy plant to grow, even for those who do not have the proverbial ‘green fingers’.
When I was growing up there was a mint plant at the bottom of my Gran’s garden. My dad tells me that it was growing there when he was a little boy – and he was born in 1956! – but the astonishing thing to me, is that it is still there in 2022 – my Uncle John uses it to this day, and when my dad’s three mint varieties died off, he was able to take a cutting from my Gran’s old mint plant and now has a pot overflowing with fresh mint. Perfect!
About the Mint Plant
Below is a quick rundown of everything you need to know about this highly versatile, favored and delicious herb.
History and Origin
Mint or mentha is part of the Lamiaceae plant family, which consists of about 25 known types of mint plant to date. Mint is versatile in its uses and is also incredibly adaptive to its surroundings, resulting in numerous types sprouting around the world, from Asia to Europe.
Different types of mint also provide us with a diverse selection of colors, with some plants showcasing flowers with shades of pink, purple, and white. Having originated in the Mediterranean mint has since spread throughout Europe and Asia and it is its incredible ability for natural hybridization that makes it one of the most adaptive flora in existence.
A distinctive and cool aromatic scent is the most noticeable feature of the mint plant and by far the easiest way to differentiate it from other plants you might have in your garden.
Common Uses For Mint
While you’re here for the plant itself and growing them successfully, it would be remiss of me not to mention some of the common uses for mint.
Yes the mint plant is mostly known for its soothing aroma but it is perhaps most used in cooking. Who hasn’t added mint to a salad or a stew? Or chopped some fresh with a touch of vinegar and sugar for homemade mint sauce to pair with your roast lamb dinner?
And then there are beverages like tea, hygiene products like toothpaste, shampoo and soap and the mint plant has also been used as a simple home deodorizer too!
22 Types of Mint
Due to its impressively adaptive nature, the mint plant has broadened its reach from its native Mediterranean heritage to most of the populated continents worldwide. Here is a complete list of the 22 mint plants that you will find.
1. Apple Mint
Apple mint or mentha suaveolens is native to western and southern Europe and the Mediterranean. It is also known as wooly mint and is typically grown for culinary purposes or exterior aesthetics.
The apple mint plant is added to tea, cocktails, and ice creams. In addition, it is mixed with other ingredients to create a sauce for other meat-centric recipes.
One way to determine if you have an apple mint is with its distinct soft rounded leaves, which are also covered with fine hair (hence, the wooly mint moniker). Apple mint is also less minty and fruitier in regards to its flavor.
2. Banana Mint
As the name implies, the banana mint (mentha arvensis) takes its name from its fruity aroma, which has a tinge of banana. The banana mint is thought to have originated in France and is now found in most of Europe and the United States.
Due to the blend of minty and fruity flavor, banana mint leaves are often used in tandem with hot and cold beverages such as tea and milkshakes. It can also be used in cocktails such as the mojito and even added to salads.
The banana mint is relatively short compared to other mint plant types and features equally small oval-shaped bright green leaves with toothed edges and a layer of fuzz.
3. Basil Mint
The basil mint (mentha x Piperita f.citrata Basil) is a popular culinary plant in various recipes. Basil leaves are best partnered with pasta and used to make the delectable pesto cream. The leaves can also be dried for later use, but fresh basil mint offers the best results in adding lots of flavour to your recipe.
4. Buddleia Mint
The buddleia mint or mentha longifolia is primarily used for its ornamental qualities. It features a stunning purple flower complemented by gray-green leaves with a mildewed mint aroma that attracts butterflies, further adding to its aesthetic appeal. The buddleia mint is also known as the butterfly bush.
5. Cat Mint
Not to be confused with catnip, the cat mint is a beautiful and fragrant ornamental plant commonly found in gardens due to its stunning cluster of lavender-colored flowers.
It also has a pretty rich history as it was first known to be cultivated in the Roman town of Nepeti and was used as their preferred herbal tea – which is also where it got its scientific name of Nepeta.
6. Calamint
The calamint or Calamintha nepeta is a subspecies of cat mint (nepeta) and is native to Europe, Asia, and America. The calamint is quite similar to cat mint, with the main difference being that it produces small white flowers instead of cat mint’s prominent purple ones.
7. Chocolate Mint
The enticingly named chocolate mint (mentha x Piperita f. citrate chocolate) is a cross between orange mint and peppermint. The chocolate mint plant usually grows up to 2 feet and has dark green rounded lance-shaped leaves. This mint plant also showcases lavender-colored flowers that bloom during the summer season.
Staying true to its name, it has an aroma akin to that of chocolate, but its flavor has a zesty punch, similar to an orange. The chocolate mint plant thrives in colder weather and will quickly spread without additional help.
8. Corsican Mint
Found in Portugal and the British Isles, the Corsican mint (mentha requienii) is specifically native to Corsica Island – hence, the name.
The Corsican mint plant is known for its low-growing and almost moss-like appearance. In addition, its ground-level height makes it ideal for ground cover in gardens.
As with most members of the mint plant family, the Corsican mint also provides decent medicinal purposes due to its antiseptic properties. It can also be used to make herbal tea as well.
9. Curly Mint
Curly mint is a variety of spearmint, but with a cluster of leaves that look similar to parsley. Curly mint is also used as a garnish to recipes thanks to its highly aromatic minty scent and is even used with alcoholic cocktails such as mojito.
As a subspecies of spearmint, the curly mint plant is also found where its parent plant thrives, such as in Europe and the United States. Uses for curly mint revolve around essential oil products for aromatherapy and even as an insect repellant.
The curly mint plant is most often attributed to Middle Eastern cuisine and is a popular garnish in that region’s recipes.
10. Egyptian Mint
One of the rarer types of the mint plant, the Egyptian mint or mentha x niliaca, is a culinary plant used during ancient Middle Eastern cuisine. The Egyptian mint offers a more subtle flavor than its more overpowering European counterpart. This rare mint plant is also an ideal enhancement to herbal teas and salads.
As for appearance, the Egyptian mint plant features dark green leaves with a slight silver-gray sheen and can grow up to 90 cm tall. Its flavor is often compared to apple mint, while the aroma of wild Egyptian mint plants varies, with some having an attractive aroma while others have a rather foul odor.
11. Ginger Mint
The ginger mint (mentha x gracilis syn. mentha x gentilis) is a hybrid mint plant that crosses spearmint and wild mint. This mixed mint variety is prevalent in Europe and Asia, where its parent mint plants are also found.
The ginger mint is also known as scotch mint or slender mint due to its appearance. Its leaves have noticeable bright yellow stripes, making it easily distinguishable. As with its parent plants, ginger mint also holds several health benefits.
Finally, ginger mint attracts butterflies and bees, making it another sought-after ornamental garden plant.
12. Grapefruit Mint
Another member of the mint plant family that is zestier than its relatives, the grapefruit mint (mentha x Piperita grapefruit), is distinguishable by its citrusy aroma and fuzzy green leaves. It also is one of the more aesthetically-pleasing types once its striking purple flower cluster blooms at the end of summer.
The grapefruit mint is typically found in the Mid-Atlantic United States (USDA Zone 6). It is generally grown for culinary purposes or for aesthetic reasons as it is a lovely ornamental plant.
13. Horsemint
Horsemint (monarda punctata) is a wild mint type native to North America. While part of the mint family, the horsemint has an aroma closer to thyme than its siblings. It also has an unrelentingly bitter taste.
14. Lavender Mint
The lavender mint plant is a versatile flora that can grow with ease in any region. It is a native of Europe and thrives in areas that do not undergo extreme cases of drought or heat. As for its applications, lavender mint is often used as the main ingredient in hygiene products such as shampoo, soap, and other cosmetics.
The lavender mint plant became a popular part of a bouquet ensemble due to its fragrant and soothing aroma. In addition, it is distinguishable with its pear-shaped leaves and slightly toothed edges. But, of course, it also produces its signature lavender-colored flowers, which bloom at the end of summer through fall.
15. Licorice Mint
The licorice mint (Agastache Foeniculum) is a type of mint plant that has been used for its medicinal properties for generations. This mint plant is said to contain excellent antioxidants, antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties.
It features pointed oval to spear-shaped leaves with striking cylindrical violet flowers that can grow up to 15 cm long. Additionally, licorice mint can attract both butterflies and bees.
16. Moroccan Mint
The Moroccan mint (mentha spicata var. crispa) is a medium-sized perennial plant with large green leaves that have serrated edges. It is a hybrid plant of spearmint and is native to Europe. The Moroccan mint is also a popular traditional beverage in Morocco.
The Moroccan plant is packed with minerals such as calcium, fluoride, magnesium, copper, and selenium. Appearance-wise, the Moroccan mint can be distinguished by its small bright green leaves with serrated edges and a pretty identical scent to spearmint.
17. Orange Mint
The orange mint (mentha citrata orange) is a plant utilized primarily for its highly aromatic properties. It is used as an ingredient or garnish in specific cuisines and is effective as a deodorizer. Additionally, as with most mint plants, the orange mint is relatively easy to grow and will spread quite vigorously under the right circumstances.
Unlike other mint plants, the orange mint is known for its citrusy aroma and flavor with just a hint of mint.
18. Pennyroyal Mint
The pennyroyal mint or mentha pulegium is found naturally in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. It is also known as the mosquito plant due to its high concentration of mint that acts as a natural repellent to the pesky bloodsuckers.
Unfortunately, while the pennyroyal mint might look and smell like a typical mint plant, it contains a substance called pulegone which can be toxic to the human body. So, we should avoid using the pennyroyal mint as an ingredient for a recipe or as a topical ointment.
It would be the perfect mint plant for me – those mosquitos love chomping away at me – but my other half is rubbish at plant identification after many years so he’d likely head straight to this one when cooking up something tasty!
19. Peppermint
Peppermint is a hybrid mint plant type, a cross between a spearmint and watermint, and has the scientific name Mentha x Piperita. The peppermint is thought to have originated in the Mediterranean and North Africa. Nowadays, it is naturally found in Europe and the Middle East.
As with its parent plant, peppermint also provides similar uses and benefits.
You can also quickly tell a peppermint apart as it has distinct purplish square stems and dark green leaves with a toothed edge and visible red veins. Peppermint also has violet flowers that bloom sometime in mid to late summer.
20. Spearmint
Spearmint or mentha spicata is often the main ingredient in toothpaste and certain cosmetics. It is also known as garden mint or common mint and naturally grows in parts of Europe, France, and Southern China.
In terms of appearance, the spearmint plant has a more pointed leaf and features a bright green shade. Spearmint also has a less intense aroma with a touch of sweetness compared to other popular types of mint plants, such as peppermint.
21. Water Mint
The water mint or mentha aquatic is a mint plant growing in Europe, southwest Asia, and northwest Africa. As the name implies, it is a mint plant that thrives in moist places and is naturally found around bodies of water.
As for its uses, water mint has antibacterial properties which make it a suitable option for cleaning. In addition, water mint can also be used as an ingredient to add some flavor to tea and salads.
Water mint is relatively easy to distinguish as it primarily grows around water and has a dark green leaf with visible purple veins.
22. Wild Mint
Wild mint is indigenous to Europe, Western and Central Asia, North America, Eastern Siberia, and the Himalayas. It has a scientific name of mentha arvensis and is also known as field mint. Wild mint is also known for its sharp minty aroma due to its high concentration of menthol.
It can also be used as a natural deodorizer and pesticide if you have a garden at home. As for how to distinguish the wild mint, this type of mint plant can grow to a height of 2 meters, and its leaves feature toothed edges, visible veins, and a hairy underside.
There is also a pale purple lobed flower cluster when the plant blooms. Wild mint also has a more pungent mint scent than its siblings.
Mint Plant FAQs
You may still have some questions about the different mint plant varieties, so lets answer those in the questions below!
What Type of Mint is Easiest to Grow?
Mint is a highly adaptive plant that can grow on any soil. As long as the roots are in the shade and the leaves get ample sunlight, you can expect a mint plant to thrive. That said, spearmint is the most straightforward variety to grow as it is found in almost every corner of the world.
What Conditions Are Good for Growing Mint?
The perfect condition for growing a mint plant should offer adequate dampness or moisture with well-draining soil (deep, loamy, and sloping sites). The area should also provide a decent balance between sunlight and shade. Of course, fertile soil will always yield the best results as well.
How Do I Know Which Type of Mint Plant I Have?
There are several factors to determine the type of mint you have, but a quick taste test is a good start to narrow down the list. For example, a mint leaf with a strong menthol aftertaste will usually be peppermint. In contrast, a leaf with a sweeter and milder menthol aftertaste is likely spearmint. Climate will also play a factor in helping you narrow down the list.
Can I Grow Mint Indoors?
While you can try to grow mint indoors, I have never had success doing so. The mint plants that I have grown myself have needed a spot outside in the partial shade to flourish. This year I’ll be attempting a half and half measure – mint in a pot in my almost outhouse. Not quite outdoors, not quite in. I’ll come back and update with progress!
Mint Thoughts
It is genuinely astonishing how many variations of mint plants there are. If you are looking to add this highly versatile plant to your garden, whether as an ornamental or because you love the taste of mint and want it on hand when you’re cooking, I feel certain that you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how easy mint is to grow – and grow and grow and grow!
