Wild Mint is a
native
perennial plant of the UK, typically found growing in cropland, woodland margins and waste ground, to a mature height of up to 60cm.
Wild Mint is a hairy, erect, branched plant with oppositely-paired, oval leaves. It bears its flowers at the leaf nodes, in whorls and these can be in varying shades of blue, lilac or pink. Wild Mint has a long history of herbal medicinal use for digestive disorders. It is also used to make herbal tea, and as a flavouring for culinary purposes. The menthol in mint has natural anti-bacterial properties and this makes it a useful additive to products for oral hygiene and gargling.
Botanic classification and naming: Wild Mint is a member of the Mint (Lamiaceae) family. The genus name
'Mentha' identifies the plant as a Mint and its species name 'arvensis' means 'field plant'.
Benefits: Mint attracts bees, butterflies and other insects.
Benefits to wildlife are also indicated with orange icons in the plant profile bar at the top.
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