Fieldmint, Wild mint, Brook mint
| Botanical Name | Mentha arvensis |
| Common Name | Fieldmint, Wild mint, Brook mint |
| Family | Lamiaceae - Mint |
| Description | This native, perennial, branched, minty-smelling plant has lance-shaped, toothed leaves. Its leaves grow in pairs and its stems are square. It grows in moist places, especially along streams. There are many varieties of Mentha arvensis. |
| Mature Size | 14” |
| Bloom | July – September. Dense whorls of small lavender or pale pink flowers grow in the axils of the upper leaves. They are nearly hidden by the opposite leaves. |
| Interesting Facts | The genus Mentha comes from Mintho, mistress of Pluto in Greek mythology. His jealous queen, upon learning of Mintho, trampled her, transforming her into a lowly plant forever to be walked upon. Pluto made this horrible fate more tolerable by willing that the more the plant was trampled, the sweeter it would smell. |
| Traditional and Medicinal Uses | Above all, a tea made from the leaves is considered an excellent stomach-ache remedy. It makes a good sun tea. Its leaves are often used to flavor many dishes and beverages. Fresh leaves make an excellent liner for cake tins in place of grease. Fresh leaves can be rubbed on the skin to prevent mosquito bites. Rats and mice dislike the smell of mint. It has been spread in granaries to keep rodents off the grain. |
 |
 |
|
Photos for SFBG by Janice Tucker
|
Santa Fe Botanical Garden
celebrates, cultivates and conserves
the rich botanical heritage and biodiversity of the region.