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Water Mint Mentha aquatica 

 
 
Attracts BeesBees are attracted to this plant
Attracts ButterfliesButterflies are attracted to this plant
Attracts HoverfliesHoverflies are attracted to this plant
Perennial Life CyclePerennial life cycle
Tubular FlowersTubular flowers
Lilac FlowersLilac flowers
4 Petals4 petals
Jul-Sep Flowering
period
Oval LeavesOval leaves
Forwardly-Toothed LeavesForwardly-toothed leaves
Square StemSquare stem
Fibrous RootsFibrous roots
100cmMaximum height
 
 
  Main image of Water Mint
© 2021 Adrian Briggs
 

Water Mint is a native perennial plant of the UK, typically found growing in water margins and wetlands, to a mature height of up to 100cm.

Water Mint, although related, is a different species to those commonly used in the kitchen, such as: Spearmint (Mentha spicata) and Moroccan Mint (Mentha spicata var. crispa 'Moroccan'). Water Mint is sometimes used but it has a stronger, more pungent flavour than most culinary mints and is more suited for making mint tea.

Botanic classification and naming: Water Mint is a member of the Mint (Lamiaceae) family. The genus name 'Mentha' identifies the plant as a Mint and its species name 'aquatica' means 'water plant'.

Concerns: Note that unsupervised foraging may cause damage to wild plants and misidentification of forage species may be dangerous. The complete removal of a plant from the wild is illegal under the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981).

 
Flower of Water Mint

© 2021 Adrian Briggs

 

Flowers:
Water Mint usually flowers between July and September.

Flower colour:

Flower Colour Lilac

Lilac

Flower shape:

Flower Shape  Tubular

Tubular

Petals:

Petal Number =  4

4

Leaf of Water Mint

© 2021 Adrian Briggs

 

Leaves:

Leaf Shape:

Leaf Shape is Oval

Oval

Leaf Margins:

Leaf Margin is forwardly-toothed

forwardly-toothed

Stem of Water Mint

© 2021 Adrian Briggs

 

Stem and Roots:

Stem shape:

Stem Shape is Square

Square

Root type:

Root Type is Fibrous

Fibrous