A pretty mint with variegated green and white leaves that makes a sweet tea and looks attractive added to salads and desserts. As a fast-spreading perennial it may be better grown in pots. 9x9cm pot (8cm depth)
Description
- Loved by bees
- Easy to grow
- Aromatic
- Attractive leaves
As well as a culinary herb and its use in confectionary, mint has traditionally been used as a tea for treating headaches and digestive disorders, in modern medicine it is widely used in the treatment of gastrointestinal tract disorders and relieving wind and colic. The flowers are very attractive to bees and it is thought to be a mouse and rat repellent. This pretty mint looks quite striking in the garden with its bright green and white leaves, especially with darker leaved foliage growing behind. It is sweet tasting, makes a tea lovely and as an addition to sweet dishes.
Plant Care
- Height: 30-60cm
- Type: Hardy
- Aspect: Sun/shade
- Soil: Any/alkaline
- Flower colour: Purple
- Flowering period: July - September
On the whole mints are fast growing perennials that love good rich soil and grow in both sun and shade successfully. Planted in heavy soils they spread rapidly and unless you have plenty of space can become a bit of a menace, in lighter soils their spread is limited and in very dry summers they can die. Most people grow their mints in containers and in the first year they are usually gorgeous and lush, it is in the second year when they emerge again in spring that the leaves are tiny and grow mostly around the edges of the container. This is because they grow so fast that the roots have filled the container completely and though additional feeding helps, there is just not enough oomph left in the soil to support a vigorous plant. The easiest thing to do is tip the whole root ball out and replant half of it back in the container with some fresh compost; it won’t be long before you have a fantastic looking mint again. The other half you can grow in another pot, give away or add to the compost heap.
Usage
A fresh sweet mint with very attractive variegated leaves, pineapple mint can be used in traditional minty ways, for sauce, with new potatoes, with peas and lamb. It is also a pretty and tasty addition to salads and drinks and makes a light and refreshing tea. Like all mints, the flowers are loved by bees and pollinating insects.