It is difficult to find a person who does not know the smell of mint. Toothpaste, chewing gum, all kinds of fresheners and deodorants give us its chill. Many types of mint have been used in cooking, perfumery, and medicine since ancient times. The very name of this plant is closely connected with myths Ancient Greece, even before our era, people knew and widely used its beneficial properties. Its popularity continues unabated today; some varieties of mint are grown in industrial quantities for production essential oils.
Peppermint is known primarily as a sedative for the nervous system. After worries or just a hard day at work, it’s good to drink a cup of tea with a refreshing mint aroma. But only the aroma should come from the leaf; teas are often flavored with menthol, obtained by the synthesis of chemical substances that have nothing to do with the plant. As part of medicinal products for gastrointestinal tract Mint is often included because it has a choleretic effect. A pronounced diuretic effect helps rid the body of excess fluid and maintain water-salt metabolism for those who consume a lot table salt. It is said that drinking too much mint tea can even lead to dehydration.
Mint is taken for colds, many infectious, nervous, when you need to get rid of a headache or nausea. The analgesic, anti-inflammatory and soothing properties of mint have found their use not only in folk medicine, but in traditional medicine, cosmetology and perfumery. It is included in ointments and creams, it is used in skin and hair care, for rejuvenating procedures and relaxation.
The perennial plant of the Lamiaceae family is so unpretentious that it grows on all types of soils in countries with temperate climate. It does not require fertilizing or special care; it grows in sunny areas and in the shade; only moderate moisture is enough, be it artificial watering or rare rain. Mint is easy to grow - to do this, you need to plant one plant in your garden, and then the creeping roots will do their job. It reproduces by dividing roots, cuttings, and even rooting leaves. It is recommended to fence the area with mint by burying a sheet of plastic, slate, or roofing felt in the ground so that the roots do not grow beyond its boundaries. You can harvest the leaves in the first year of the plant’s life.
There are many varieties of mint: at least 25 varieties and 10 natural hybrids are known. These are mainly herbaceous plants with a flexible stem and small flowers collected in inflorescences. They grow from 30 cm to 1 m in height and bloom almost all summer - from June to August. The leaves begin to be collected in June, but the greatest amount of essential oils in the stems and leaves is concentrated towards the end of flowering.
At home, use fresh or dried herbs. You need to dry it like all greens in general, spreading it out in a thin layer on special trays (trays, dishes) in ventilated rooms or shaded places. Store dry herbs in glass or ceramic containers with tight lids.
Video “All about peppermint”
Informational video about peppermint and its properties.
Wild mint
Wild mint is also called field mint, meadow mint, oregano or mother mint. It grows around reservoirs, in meadows, and woodlands. Its aroma is only a little softer, more delicate than the aroma of peppermint, because its essential oil contains menthol, carvone, citral, geraniol and other beneficial and very aromatics. It is often used in cooking - it is wonderfully suitable for fish, meat dishes and sweet desserts. Wild mint is added to salads and drinks; it is used to flavor candies, sauces, soups, and alcoholic cocktails. Combination different ingredients allows its aroma to appear from different sides and sparkle with all its colors.
Since ancient times, there has been an opinion that wild mint helps concentrate the mind; they say it was from it that Pliny the Elder wore a wreath. Traditional medicine widely uses it for treatment respiratory tract, a decoction of oregano is taken as an expectorant and anti-inflammatory agent for bronchitis, asthma, and tuberculosis. It is recommended to drink tea from it to cleanse the body of toxins and restore stomach function, strengthening the general condition after illness.
Essential oil of motherwort is used for relaxing treatments. It has a beneficial effect on the well-being of weather-dependent people when the weather changes, strengthens the body, and helps to resist infectious diseases, stress.
Home
Mint can be grown in a window. This unpretentious plant With the help of seeds or cuttings it takes root well in a pot. It is not picky about the choice of soil, but needs a large amount sunlight, although straight sun rays better to shade. If there is not enough light, the aroma will become weaker - less essential oils will be produced, which means the benefits of consuming the leaves will decrease. It is advisable to water warm water, earthen lump should not dry out.
The ornamental plant plectranthus is often called home mint. It also belongs to the Lamiaceae family, similar to mint in appearance and smell. This evergreen prefers nutritious, moist soil, plenty of light all year round. With a lack of light, its leaves turn pale and its branches become thinner. In summer you need to water a lot, and in winter you need to reduce watering a little; although the plant does not go into a dormant state, its growth slows down somewhat.
Plectranus is also called the moth tree because its aroma serves as an excellent remedy against moths. The leaves need to be picked and placed in a gauze bag; moths will not settle where it lies. Gradually the leaves will dry out; periodically they will need to be crushed with your hand to activate the smell.
Menthol
Menthol mint grows up to 65 cm tall. This is one of the varieties of peppermint, differs from it only in its high menthol content. It has a very pungent smell; if you put 1 leaf on a glass of tea, it will be too much. When grown in the garden, this plant is not attacked by pests and is practically not susceptible to diseases. It differs from other varieties in having dark stems and a very strong pungent odor. In the year of planting, the crop can be harvested within 3 months after rooting, and next year Each growing leaf already has the entire set of useful substances, so you can pick it as needed.
Field
Field, wild, meadow mint, oregano, mother mint - all these are names of the same variety. It grows in height from 20 to 80 cm, is unpretentious, and will grow in the garden without whims with sufficient moisture. Traditional medicine uses it as an anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, expectorant, and astringent. It contains tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids, polyphenols, cardiac glycosides, saponins, in addition to many useful substances that make up the essential oil. People with problems with the stomach, gall bladder, liver, or respiratory tract should grow wild mint in their dacha or collect wild mint in the meadow - it will definitely improve their health.
Lemon
Lemon mint or lemon balm also has the following names: honey mint, bee mint, swarmer, queen plant. A strong branched bush reaches 1 m in height under favorable circumstances. It is difficult to find unfavorable ones - if lemon balm has settled on the site, then there will be a lot of bees, it will scatter throughout the entire site if it is allowed to bloom.
Its green branches, rounded leaves, slightly carved at the edges, contain vitamins (especially a lot of vitamin C), carotene, rosmarinic and caffeic acids, tannins, and flavonoids. Remove with lemon balm infusion nervous tension, treat insomnia, lower blood pressure. Honey tea lowers blood sugar, relieves asthma attacks, and relieves muscle spasms. But it is very important to maintain reasonable concentration; if you drink too strong an infusion or too much tea, the effect may be the opposite; instead of relief, you may get an increase in symptoms. Melissa oil will very quickly help with flu, high fever, and herpes, so it is useful to have it at home.
Pepper
The most common and famous mint is peppermint; it is a hybrid of aquatic and garden varieties. It is used not only traditional medicine, but also modern pharmacology. Peppermint has vasodilating and analgesic properties; it will help get rid of nausea, help with asthma, and flatulence. It has a tonic effect on the heart, relieves increased heartbeat, and improves blood circulation. Peppermint decoction will help with bloating, stomach pain, and colic. It is used as a choleretic and diaphoretic. It is difficult to overestimate the benefits that a decoction of these tender green leaves can bring.
The presence of menthol determines the bactericidal properties of peppermint. Delicate sensitive skin gratefully receives lotions from its infusion; it will relieve any irritation, tones the skin cells, it is not for nothing that it is used for rejuvenating procedures. No matter how beneficial mint is, not everyone can use it; for example, it is contraindicated for people with low blood pressure or varicose veins.
Video “Beneficial properties of lemon balm”
Informational video about the beneficial properties of lemon balm.
An ancient Greek legend says that mint is the beautiful nymph Minta transformed into a plant. The goddess Persephone, having learned that her husband Hades liked the young beauty, cast a spell on the nymph. Since then, mint has appeared in Crete and other parts of the Mediterranean.
Where does mint grow today? Unfortunately, this is just a beautiful fairy tale, otherwise there would be such a variety of fragrant, spicy-aromatic and even medicinal plants in the world, united under the common name - mint. Today, more than 25 species have been discovered belonging to the Yamnotaceae family, having some common features, but also have important differences. What is mint like that grows in different parts of the world?
If we make a general description for most species, then mint is a herbaceous plant with straight or lodging stems, depending on the species, from 20 to 150 centimeters in length. It has oval, ovate or elongated leaves, about 4–8 cm long, often, like the stems, pubescent. In addition, mint is distinguished by a special flower shape, which gives the whole family its second name - Lamiaceae.
Of the total quantity existing species no more than a third are actively cultivated, but mint is sometimes classified as fragrant and even ornamental plants, who are her very distant relatives.
The most famous in Russia is meadow mint or Mentha arvensis. This species can be seen as a wild plant in European countries and almost everywhere in our country from its western borders to the Far East. This species is also called noble mint or Lapland mint.
The oil obtained from the culture contains from 60 to 92% menthol. Despite this, the taste of meadow mint is mild, which allows the leaves and tops of shoots to be used in cooking and medical purposes. The stems of this perennial species grow up to 80 cm in height. The rhizomes, like those of related plants, are creeping and powerful. The flowers are pinkish or lilac in color, small, collected on false whorls located along the stem. The flowering time of meadow mint begins in June and ends only in October.
Garden mint: photo and description of the species
Garden mint or Mentha spicata is a perennial herbaceous plant that does not have such a bright taste as peppermint, but is widespread in European plantings unparalleled. IN growing wild The species can be found in the southwest and south of Russia, where mint grows in moist, shaded places.
This variety of mint has an annual tetrahedral stem, reaching a length of about a meter, on which there are oblong-ovate leaves with pointed tips. As you can see in the photo of garden mint, upper part The leaf is completely smooth; there are tiny hairs only in the veins on the back side. The height of the plant does not exceed 45 cm, but the width of the bush grows up to 90 cm. Small purple flowers of mint, as in the photo, appear in July and fade only at the end of summer.
For culinary purposes, dry and fresh mint leaves with a pronounced aroma and a direct, slightly pungent taste are used.
Spearmint, curly mint or Mentha spicata crispa is a variety of mint with a specific foliage shape. Although discover this attractive plant in the wild it was possible only in certain areas of Asia, southern Europe and northern Africa; spearmint quickly moved to regions with temperate climates and is cultivated not only in European countries and Russia, but also on the North American continent.
The height of the perennial plant is from 30 to 100 cm, the stems are powerful, erect, seated with compressed, serrated along the edges, bright green leaves. The flowers of curly mint differ little from the flowers of related species; they are pale pink or white color and collected in whorled inflorescences.
Moroccan mint or Mentha spicata crispa Moroccan is nothing more than curly mint. The special name is of French origin and dates back to the times when Morocco, among other North African provinces, was a colony of France. The spices, fruits and plants brought from this country seemed strange to Europeans.
Moroccan mint, grown in a hotter climate than in the Old World, contained more essential oils and menthol, and also had unusual corrugated leaves, which is why it deserved its name.
Mentha rotundifolia or round-leaved mint is called Egyptian, golden and confectionery mint. Often the interspecific hybrid between longleaf mint and sweet mint is called apple mint. Initially, the species comes from Asia Minor or North Africa.
And in the middle zone and in the south of Europe, in the countries of Transcaucasia and in Russia, where mint grows as a garden crop, the plant is valued for its pleasant, refreshing taste and mild aroma.
Not only young leaves, but also the entire green part of the plant are used for culinary purposes. In addition to the usual forms of apple mint with green foliage, today variegated varieties have been developed that combine decorativeness and spicy-taste qualities. Both varieties of apple mint form herbaceous bushes, 50 to 70 cm high, strewn with round or wide ovoid leaves characteristic of the species, on which thick pile is clearly visible.
The increasingly popular Chocolate Mint or Mentha piperita citrata Chocolate is a variation of peppermint that combines a menthol aroma with light tones of citrus and chocolate.
The impression that mint is really related to the delicacy beloved by many is supported by the color of the plant, which contains quite a lot of anthocyanins.
Common in the Mediterranean and the countries of Asia Minor, as well as in a number of European countries, fragrant mint or Mentha suaveolens is a perennial fragrant plant, which is used in cooking and medicine. In the wild, the plant prefers sunny, but not dry, edges.
In countries where this type of mint grows, it reaches a height of 30 to 100 cm. The stems are erect, pubescent, covered with heart-shaped, medium-sized leaves green. Leaf blades crinkled, with small teeth along the edges. Fragrant mint blooms, forming cone-shaped dense inflorescences consisting of small white flowers.
Japanese mint: description of the species and photo
Little familiar to Europeans and shown in the photo, Japanese mint or Mentha japonica is perennial, found only on two islands of the Japanese archipelago, Hokkaido and Honshu.
The places where Japanese mint grows are mostly swampy or humid forests. The height of the plant, rare even for the Land of the Rising Sun, does not exceed 40 cm, the stems are erect or creeping, the leaves are small, barely reaching 2 cm in length. Small flowers of a white or pale lilac hue are collected in sparse inflorescences. The time for Japanese mint to bloom, in the photo, begins in August and continues until mid-autumn.
Like other species of the family, the plant contains essential oils and is used for the manufacture of cosmetics, and is also used as a spicy-flavoring seasoning.
Forest mint: description and photo
Forest mint or incense in our country is a plant that belongs to the Yamnotaceae family, but is only a distant relative of the usual mint. This is Oregano or Origanum vulgare. In Europe, and especially in the countries of the Mediterranean region, the forest mint shown in the photo is known as oregano.
In Russia, where oregano or forest mint grows wild throughout almost the entire country, the crop is used as a medicinal plant. In the central European part and in Siberia, oregano can be found in floodplain meadows and clearings, in oak groves and along the edges of coniferous forests.
In France, Italy and the USA, forest oregano or oregano is valued as a seasoning for vegetables and meat dishes, baked goods and marinades. Therefore, in these regions herbaceous perennial actively cultivated. The stems of forest mint begin to branch already above the soil level, growing up to 30–70 cm. Oregano has oval oblong leaves that are dark on top and noticeably lighter on the back side. The inflorescences are not whorled or racemose, like those of mint, but corymbose, consisting of pinkish or light purple small flowers.
Mexican mint, most species of which grow on the North American continent, is included in the same family and even group with garden mint, but has a different name. This plant is better known to botanists and gardeners as lofanthus, polygonum or Agastache scrophulariifolia.
This is a spectacular perennial that forms bushes up to one and a half meters high and has quite strong aroma, which gave rise to the plant being called Mexican mint.
Lofant is grown in Russian regions as an attractive ornamental crop, an excellent honey plant and a medicinal plant. It is true that Mexican mint is in the European part middle zone, in Western Siberia and the Urals survived the winter, the crop needs shelter and a guarantee that in the spring the roots of the plant will not end up in water. 
In one place, the polygonum grows well for up to 6 years. Today, many varieties have been developed with flowers of various shades from lilac and deep blue to orange and crimson.
Homemade mint: photos and descriptions of species
If Mexican mint or oregano, not related to the immediate relatives of well-known garden varieties, is still used as a medicinal and spicy plant, then homemade mint, belonging to the genus Plectranthus, is an exclusively ornamental crop.
Claims to be called homemade mint large number plants native to the tropical zones of Asia, Africa, Australia and South America.
Plectranthus are perennials, some of which have found a place in homes as indoor plants, and some are grown as ornamental plants. garden plants. And among herbaceous plants There are also tall shrubs.
Plectranthus fruticosus or the tall plectranthus fruticosus, which grows up to a meter, is one of the mint-like species. The shrub consists of superficial creeping roots, pubescent branching shoots, seated with heart-shaped pointed leaves 10 cm long. The leaves have rounded teeth.
U homemade mint, as in the photo, lilac fragrant flowers, united in loose inflorescences on the tops of the shoots. 
Or nettle with bright variegated foliage also belongs to the same species, as in the photo, homemade mint.
Another shrub, reaching a record height of 2.5 meters for the species, is called Plectranthus ecklonii. In South Africa, where this exotic variety of mint grows, the plant prefers sunlit areas or partial shade. The shrub grows rather slowly, blooms annually, producing loose inflorescences of blue, lilac or white at the ends of lush shoots. This plectranthus can be propagated by layering or cuttings. In Russia, shelter for the winter and pruning of shoots is mandatory so that the growth matures well in the cold weather.
Plectranthus oertendahlii is a rather small indoor plant whose shoots do not grow longer than 50 cm and have a creeping appearance. The leaves of the homemade mint shown in the photo have a rounded ovoid shape and an unusual color. The general tone of the foliage is dark green, and the veins are noticeably lighter. The flowers of this culture are white or with barely visible lilac shade, small, collected in apical loose inflorescences.
Plectranthus verticillatus or whorled plectranthus has smooth, ovate leaves of a light green color. At the same time, the stems and even the petioles of the leaves are purple or violet. Flowering is accompanied by the appearance of white flowers, decorated with burgundy or lilac specks inside the corolla.
One of the most mint-like species of plectranthus is the variety Plectranthus madagascariensis. A small shrub up to 1 meter high with creeping or creeping shoots is grown as a hanging crop and takes root well in gardens in the European part of the country.
Plectranthus hybrid "Mona Lavender" is amazingly beautiful hybrid form. As can be seen in the photo, this type of homemade mint has erect shoots that form a compact bush, up to 50 cm high. The leaves have serrated grooves along the edges. Flowering is abundant and very attractive. Individual flowers, like lavender, a beautiful lilac shade. Leaves up to 5 cm long have a dense green or even purple color, which is more often found on young foliage.
How to grow mint at home - video
Mint is one of the world's most famous herbs and can be found literally everywhere - from teas and cocktails to toothpaste or chewing gum. The taste of mint is so unique and unlike anything else that there are proposals to add it fifth to the well-known list of basic ones: sweet, bitter, sour and salty. Aromatherapy, perfumery, cooking, medicine - representatives of each of these areas can give their answer to the question of how mint is useful and why it is good.
What is mint?
Mint is a generalized name for many plant species belonging to the Lamiaceae family. These types are united by the presence in their chemical composition of a specific substance - menthol. It is this that causes such a characteristic mint aroma and “cool” taste. However, freshness can be felt not only with the tongue - numerous cosmetics containing menthol also have a noticeable refreshing effect.
Today at different countries Around the world, a little more than two dozen varieties of mint, both wild and cultivated, are collected and consumed. The most popular variety is peppermint. The benefits of this plant as a whole are no more and no less than those of other mint varieties, because the differences between them are mainly due to their adaptability to growing in certain conditions and the peculiarities of their structure and appearance, and not to any specific composition. And if you come across peppermint in a store or in nature, the contraindications for its use will also correspond to those common to all varieties of this herb. Peppermint is unpretentious, you can grow it even on the windowsill of a city apartment, and at the same time it has pronounced taste and aromatic characteristics - this is what explains its popularity.
Mint stems and leaves have practical value. Collect them for drying and consumption fresh recommended at certain times when their menthol content is especially high - usually shortly before and during flowering.
Mint contains essential B vitamins for humans, retinol (A) and (C), as well as macro- and microelements - iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc and others. In addition, plant raw materials contain natural tannins, esters, and phytoncides.
What is made from mint?
It’s easier to say what they don’t make from it - enter any hypermarket, and this plant and its derivatives will literally surround you. Fresh herbs, mint syrup, chewing gum, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, dishwashing liquid, tea mixtures with mint, dried herbs in the spices section, semi-finished lamb fillet in mint marinade, mint gingerbread, candy, and for fans bad habits– mint liqueur and menthol cigarettes. The situation is the same in the pharmacy: peppermint tincture, herbal infusions, cough drops, dandruff remedies - and this is not a complete list.
In cooking, mint is used mainly in fresh and dried form - both for flavoring dishes and giving food certain flavor shades, and simply for decoration, like any other greens. The easiest way is to brew mint tea - read more about the benefits and harms of this drink below. Perfumers also love to use mint - from its primitive use in household chemicals, where mint fragrance can qualitatively cancel out the not always pleasant original odors of substances in gels and aerosols, to the high art of composing fashionable fragrances.
What are the benefits of mint?
Treatises were written about the benefits of mint for the body in ancient times - mentions of this medicinal herb found in the works of Avicenna and Hippocrates, who, among other things, gave advice on the beneficial properties of mint and contraindications to its use. Their recommendations are not at all outdated - mint can still be used to effectively heal both body and soul.
Here are the main ones beneficial effects properties this herb has:
- bactericidal properties;
- mild natural sedative;
- mild analgesic effect;
- ability to lower body temperature;
- vasodilator of natural origin;
- anti-inflammatory effect.
Taking into account the above, it is not surprising that mint is widely used in both folk and traditional medicine. Indications for its use are problems in the gastrointestinal tract, spasmodic pain, including headache and menstrual pain, fever, nervous disorders, insomnia.
Are there any contraindications?
Harm to mint occurs, first of all, in the case of its excessive consumption - such phenomena as an overdose of the vitamins contained in this herb and exceeding the permissible consumption of micro- and macroelements are possible. There are, in addition, a number of specific contraindications to the use of mint:
- individual intolerance and allergic reactions;
- hypotension – mint and its derivatives have the ability to further lower blood pressure;
- some gastrointestinal diseases - increased acidity, peptic ulcer;
- conditions associated with decreased vascular tone, such as varicose veins;
- age up to three years.
In addition, the relaxation that mint can cause is of no use if you are driving - so you can only use this plant before car trips if you are a passenger.
Mint for women and men
The benefits of mint for women have been tested and confirmed by many generations of women who have used the analgesic and sedative properties of this herb:
- to relieve pain during menstruation;
- to relieve symptoms of menopause;
- to reduce the manifestations of toxicosis during pregnancy;
- to reduce body hair growth.
Modern women have at their disposal an extensive list of medications for these purposes, but healing mint nevertheless, it does not lose popularity among the fair sex - after all, a natural remedy is always healthier than a synthetic one. In addition, this herb began to be actively used by those who want to lose weight - since mint tea, due to its high content of essential oils, dulls appetite and is not harmful to the body. female body even with constant use, you can drink plenty of it while on a diet.
Another open question related to mint is its harm to men. There is an opinion that the use of this herb, affecting the level of male hormones, reduces libido, which the stronger sex usually fears like fire. However, it can be argued that the harm from mint for men is at least greatly exaggerated: some specific effects can only be noticed with abundant and systematic consumption of this herb and its derivatives. The only exception is when trying to wash other, more delicate areas with mint anti-dandruff shampoo. In this case, the effect is felt with lightning speed.
It couldn’t be simpler: mint tea
Peppermint tea is perhaps the most common way to prepare this herb due to its simplicity: it requires nothing but mint and water. To prepare this delicious and healing decoction, you just need to pour boiling water over a measured amount of mint and infuse it in the same way as regular tea.
The harm of mint tea is minimal, and the benefits have long been proven. In winter, it can effectively warm you up; in summer, chilled mint tea with ice cubes added will help you feel comfortable, despite the heat and stuffiness.
Just one sprig of fresh mint or a pinch of dried mint can elevate and turn even the most unassuming black tea from a bag into a quite decent drink.
Has its loyal fans and green tea with mint, to which this herb also gives additional flavor notes. There are also various tea and herbal infusions on sale, which include mint. If you wish, you can make such “cocktails” yourself, varying them depending on your taste preferences.
A slightly more complex method of preparing a mint drink is widely known - from mint, lemon, honey and root. Some people use it to speed up metabolism during weight loss - cold or warm. But this tea is especially effective for colds and low blood pressure - and here, of course, it must be drunk hot.
Mint is considered beneficial and especially valuable plant, which has been used by humans for many decades. It has found its use for medical, culinary and even perfumery purposes. Did you know that there are many varieties of this plant?
Interesting fact. If we take Plant Leaf data as a basis, mint is classified as a type of Lamiaceae plant; moreover, more than forty species and hybrids are known.
Varieties of mint
Home
In other words, this variety is called indoor variety mint, moth tree, plectranthus and even spur flowers. The plant can be either annual or perennial and grows in the tropics and subtropics. If you care for it carefully, it can even grow inside the house.
Mint grows as a bush. Its leaves contain ethereal extracts that are secreted by complex chemical composition, thanks to which she receives her pleasant aroma. Can be used as a medicinal product, for decoration purposes, or as a culinary herb (leaf or root vegetables). The plant has a specific aroma, so it repels different insects: small butterflies, mosquitoes and others.
The trunk grows from thirty to one hundred centimeters. The stems are pubescent or bare. The flowers of the plant are small in size; they also have bracts that create a special umbrella. The fruit contains four nuts.
Menthol plant
It is peppery, and releases a high concentration of menthol and a rather intense, persistent, and intense odor. The plant is resistant to pests and protects against various diseases, and has the best winter hardiness.
The plant, thanks to its unique composition, has found its application in many areas: it is used by cosmetologists and cooks; It has an anti-inflammatory, choleretic effect, is used as a medicine for inflammation of the bronchial mucosa, and improves digestive processes. The leaves of the plant are even used as spices; they make excellent cocktails, such as, for example, a mojito.
Depending on the lighting in the area, the size of the plant can reach sixty centimeters, while its stems grow straight and stand out for their dark shade and power. Flowering begins in the middle of the second - beginning of the third month of summer. Small purple flowers form perfect inflorescences.
The very name of the genus, which has become so popular all over the world, comes from the name female goddess. According to Greek beliefs, she was the mistress of the god of the underground, and his lawful wife turned her into grass.
Pepper
This type of mint is considered the most purchased and frequently used. She grew up as a hybrid of two opposite varieties. It is actively used to complement the taste of dishes and becomes the basis for pharmacological agents. Is valuable honey plant. In nature, it does not grow on its own. It stands out for its pungent taste, which is why it was named accordingly. Healers use this mint as a medicinal plant, it stands out for its soothing and regenerating properties. It is not recommended for use by people who suffer from low blood pressure at the moment of maximum heart contraction. This variety belongs to the class of herbaceous perennial plants. Its stems are hollow, erect, branched, and can reach a meter in height.
The flowers are a light purple or pinkish hue, all intertwined in an inflorescence at the top of the stem. Flowering begins at the end of the second month of summer and lasts until autumn. The fruits appear extremely rarely; they consist of four nuts.
Curly
Mint, which is similar in its characteristics to the type described above, is called curly mint. Curly, spikelet-shaped, mint - all these are synonyms of the same variety. The composition includes the enantiomer linalool, as well as carvone, due to which the plant has a cloying odor and specific taste. Surprisingly, spearmint contains virtually no menthol, and therefore the leaves do not have a cold aftertaste after eating them. The essential oils of this plant are of higher value than those of the variety described above. It is used not only in pharmacology and cooking, but also for soap making, and becomes the basis for tobacco and confectionery products.
The flowers of the plant have a harmonious pinkish-purple hue, with the shortest pedicels, which are collected into shoots covered with a seed plant. The plant begins to bloom from the second month of summer until the beginning of autumn. The seeds ripen by mid-autumn.
To preserve as much as possible the described mint varieties choose bags of their paper or natural flax, which are placed in dark, cool and dry rooms.
Korean
This type of mint appeared in Northern Asia; it was originally grown as an ornamental, spicy or medicinal plant, which stands out for its effect on rejuvenation and general strengthening of the body, and it also normalizes blood pressure in the arteries. The dried plant, ground into powder, can be found in pharmacological agents that improve the composition of red blood cells; they are also used for lung and liver ailments. This mint is considered the most the best variety, which have a beneficial effect on human immunity. That is why, in the East, it is considered the main rival of ginseng. The essential oils of the plant have bactericidal properties.
The plant, by visual characteristics resembles a perennial shrub that can grow up to one hundred centimeters. Mint stems have four sides and grow straight. The plant blooms in mid-June or early September. Its smell is simultaneously reminiscent of mint, anise, and oregano. The fruits fully ripen in early autumn, and the variety is quite frost-resistant and can withstand temperatures down to minus twenty.
Exotic varieties
Doggystyle
Popularly called ivy bud, or dog mint, the plant has a persistent aroma. Grows in Eurasian fields, in temperate zones climatic conditions. It has a bitter and pungent aftertaste and does not leave a cold aftertaste. This medicinal plant can be classified as a honey plant. Widely used due to its anti-inflammatory, choleretic, healing effects. The leaves are actively used to make various tonics.
The height of a mature plant reaches a maximum of 40 centimeters, its stems actively creep over all surfaces, they are supplemented with bare or pubescent short hairs. The main vegetative organ of the plant is numerous and takes root. Its leaves contain long petioles, and are distinguished by their shape in the form of buds or roundness, located opposite. Small flowers with a purple or bluish tint are collected in inflorescences and can be enjoyed until mid-August.
The mint plant has found its use in medicine ancient China. It stands out for its regenerating effect. It is also used for bile stagnation, as a remedy against hyperhidrosis, or even as a deodorant. Oil is made from this variety of mint, which is optimal for treating the skin of the eyelids.
Cat variety
This type of plant is distinguished by a strong, uncharacteristic smell of lemon, which attracts all the stray cats in the area. Mint mainly grows in forest clearings, wastelands, weedy places, on slopes or along the side of the highway. Most often it grows near the bushes, because it is considered a valuable honey plant. The plant has found its use in perfumery, in soap making, in the confectionery shop and, of course, in pharmacology. The dried leaves and inflorescences of the plant help overcome gastrointestinal diseases, they are brewed for severe migraines, and the extract is rubbed onto areas of the skin affected by rashes or allergic reactions.
This type of mint is a perennial representative of the flora, capable of growing up to a meter in height. Its roots are like woody species with straight and strong stems. The flowers are a little dirty pale color, they can be pinkish or purple. The entire inflorescence is collected into a specific umbrella at the tips vegetative organs higher plants.
Plant types of mint
Meadow or field plant
It can be found in European, Asian, Caucasian, Indian or Nepalese markets. It also grows along river banks, near other bodies of water. The essential oil has a specific pungent odor and a sugary, bitter taste that combines menthol and various citrus notes.
According to the experiments conducted, it was shown that a person who inhales the aromas of mint of this variety will reduce the consumption of fats, proteins and carbohydrates several times over the course of 24 hours. The plant is used as an additive to dishes, in the pharmacological field (treats bloating, inflammation of the stomach, heartburn).
Ginger type
Among all the varieties of mint presented, it is worth highlighting ginger, which so far grows mainly in Egypt. Doesn't have an unpleasant numbing aftertaste. According to recommendation traditional healers, the flowers of the plant, after preliminary drying, are taken for inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Helps overcome weather dependence, calms the shaky nervous system. The stems are distinguished by four sides; in addition, they are straight and branched with a horizontal and well-developed root system. The leaves of the plant are wide, becoming pointed at the ends with an elongated ovate shape.
The plant is often grown in decorative purposes and all thanks to the fiery and greenish tint. Small-sized flowers that are collected in woven branches ultimately form inflorescences in the form of pink or purple spikelets.
Mint with chocolate aftertaste (chocolate)
The plant grows quickly in places with high humidity, prefers light soil, is quite aggressive, but practically does not require any additional care. It stands out among other varieties with its pleasant taste and sweetish aroma. Resistant to insect attack, as well as sub-zero temperatures. With the necessary light, the sheets turn dark purple.
This type of mint is often grown for decorative purposes. But, thanks to the increased content of essential oils and pleasant chocolate taste, it is used for confectionery purposes and in pharmacology.
Lemon flavored (Melissa)
This fragrant plant is also called honeyslipper, honeywort or lemon balm. Lemon-flavored mint has a pleasant and refreshing citrus flavor. It grows on southern European and Mediterranean plantations.
This plant stands out for its value, taste qualities And medicinal properties, it contains a high concentration of vitamin C, pigment, unsaturated hydrocarbons from the class of carotenoids, and aromatic substances. For many centuries, mint has been grown as a honey plant. This plant belongs to the class of perennials; it begins to bloom in the summer, and the fruits ripen after about a season.
If you pay attention to the plant itself, its height can start from 30 centimeters and reach one and a half meters. The branching of the stem or side shoot is short, the flowers have a blue, snow-white or light purple tint, upper leaves located in the sinuses. The large black fruit can be used as seeds for three years.
This plant is quite winter-hardy, but in severe frosts it is advisable to cover the soil with a layer of peat.
Despite the fact that you can find on the market different varieties mint, they all have common advantages. The main thing is, among all the abundance of goods, choose the one that you really need and is suitable not only for its pharmacological characteristics, but also for its price. Mint itself is a valuable medicinal plant, but if it is supplemented with a lemon, ginger or chocolate aftertaste, it can be actively used in cooking, in the preparation of cooling and low-alcohol drinks.
Video review of new varieties of mint
Mint is a fragrant bush known to many. It is actively used in cooking, perfumery and medicine. The benefits of this member of the Yasnotkov family have been known since ancient times. Mint was mentioned in the Old Testament; in England this plant is still considered one of the most healing. There are many varieties of mint. Let's get acquainted with the most remarkable ones.
Before moving directly to the description of the varieties, a few words should be said about mint in general. The plant is unpretentious and quickly adapts to environmental conditions. Does not require fertilizing, regular watering or any special care. Do you want to place it in the garden beds? Nothing could be easier! Plant one specimen and it will quickly grow without your intervention.
Mint is known as an effective sedative, but its “abilities” do not end there. The aromatic leaves have a tonic, diuretic, choleretic and anti-inflammatory effect.
Mint is used for headaches, nervous disorders, pain syndrome, infectious diseases. Normalizes water-salt balance, removes excess liquid from the body, improves performance digestive system. Included in teas, creams, ointments, relaxation oils and hair care products.
Mint varieties
More than 25 varieties are known and each has its own characteristics. In this article you will learn about wild and garden varieties that are definitely worth attention.