Mentha (Mint)

Mentha

Mentha (mint) is a genus of about 25 species (and many hundreds of varieties) of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae (Mint Family). Mints are aromatic, almost exclusively perennial. They have wide-spreading underground rhizomes and erect, square, branched stems. Leaf colors range from dark green and gray-green to purple, blue, and sometimes pale yellow. The flowers are white to purple.
Mint leaves are used in teas, beverages, jellies, syrups, candies, and ice creams.
In Middle Eastern cuisine, mint is used on lamb dishes. Mint essential oil and mentholare extensively used as flavorings in breath fresheners, drinks, antiseptic mouth rinses, toothpaste, chewing gum, desserts, candies and cigarettes.
Mint was originally used as a medicinal herb to treat stomach ache, chest pains,common cold and it is commonly used in the form of tea. Menthol from mint essential oil (40-90%) is an ingredient of many cosmetics and some perfumes.
Useful advices
  • Mentha Cultivation
  • Most Mentha grow best in wet environments and moist soils. That’s why you have to keep it well irrigated. The best irrigation is the drip irrigation.
    Mints will grow up to120 cm tall and can spread over an indeterminate sized area.
    All mints prefer, and thrive in, cool, moist spots in partial shade. In general, mints tolerate a wide range of conditions, and can also be grown in full sun. They are fast growing and invasive. 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.
    Mentha need regular fertilization with combined mineral fertilizers.
    Mints propagate vegetative by planting rhizomes. You have to propagate the plants in the second half of October.
    It is best to store the ready plants in dry and sunny weather. You have to spread them on clean grounds for two days.

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