It is happy in most soil types and likes moist areas in the garden. However, many varieties in our collection, such as Ginger Mint, Eau de Cologne, Chocolate Mint and many others are also becoming well known.Ĭhocolate Mint develops its best colour growing in full sun, but can take part shade. The most popular choices are Spearmint, Peppermint and Applemint. In fact, if you have mixed plants some may hybridize in your own garden. Mint hybridizes very easily, so there are many varieties available to suit any garden. They should be avoided by pregnant women and must not be given, or placed next to the face of babies and young children, due to the potential for breathing difficulties associated with menthol. The essential oil is also antiseptic and may be toxic in very high doses. These plants are often used as a digestive aid in the form or herbal tea. Most mints have a history of traditional medicinal or herbal use for fevers, headaches and minor ailments. Ideal conditions usually require full sun, but part shade may be necessary as temperatures increase in warm summer regions. Mint is grown commercially in Tasmania due to the ideal conditions of long summer days in high altitudes, where temperatures average 25C during the day to 15C at night. Generally they have high water requirements and prefer rich soils. Some are annual varieties, but in cool climate zones perennial mints may best be treated as annuals and replaced each year. Mint plants come from across the globe and will grow in most climates, including a wide range of regions across Australia. The corolla is usually two lipped and has 4 lobes, with the upper lobe usually the largest. The flowers are usually white to purple and present in false whorls or verticillaster or false whorl. They are often downy with a serrated margin, with a variable leaf shape and colours ranging from green to purple. Most mint plants have square stems, with leaves held in opposite pairs. Rust Free Mint may also be a useful addition to the garden in addition to the many other varieties. Mints can suffer from some pests like snails and aphids and may be affected by mint rust. Some mints can be invasive and it is recommended that containers or in ground barriers be used. They are all fast growing plants and due to the spreading nature, one plant is often sufficient for most gardeners. This allows plants to cover up to 1 meter in stem growth, in good conditions. Mint plants send out runners, or stolons, to help them spread by developing roots and shoots at the nodes. The height range is from 10 cm to 1 meter, so not all are at ground level. The mints consist of mostly spreading and low growing perennial plants. Even the Scutellaria genus, with the unusually named Baikal Skullcap is found within this family. One characteristic of this plant family is that they all yield essential oils, giving each plant its unique characteristics and even potential for medicinal use. Many other commonly known herbs are also found in this family, including basil, sage, thyme and even lavender. However, the largest group of plants in the mint family is actually the delightful Salvias with their brilliantly coloured blooms. The Lamiaceae family is known as the mint family. They are categorized in the genus ‘Mentha’, which has up to 18 species, within the Lamiaceae family of plants. There are many Mint varieties known to herb gardeners and lovers of good cuisine, all varying slightly in flavour, aroma and appearance. These include Basil Mint and Orange Mint. citrata, because there are several flavoured mints developed from the same breeding. In some references the full name given is Mentha x piperita f. The botanical name is Mentha x piperita for the Peppermint parent which is itself Mentha aquatica (Watermint) x Mentha spicata ( Spearmint). Nibbling the leaves is a sure way to find out whether your palate can detect the subtle difference. The parent plant is Peppermint, so this is the main flavour with the chocolate being a novelty. Some people describe the taste as like peppermint with chocolate undertones, while others cannot detect the chocolate flavour at all. The aroma and flavour are open to interpretation. The lilac-purple flowers appear in summer and open from the bottom of the false whorl, progressing to the top of the inflorescence. The large ovate leaves are a bronze – dark green, with deep reddish-purple stems. citrata ‘Chocolate’Ĭhocolate Mint is a medium growing mint reaching up to 60cm tall, with a spreading nature up to 60cm. 1 Comfrey Herb Plant in a 50 X 75mm tube - General growing instructionsīotanical Name: Mentha X piperita f. 1 Chocolate Mint Herb Plant in a 50 X 75mm tube - General growing instructionsĪll of our Herb Plants are grown organically with certified organic potting mixes and fertilizers This is how we pack and send your Herb Plants to all states except TAS & WA
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