Spearmint
Mentha spicata
Also known as Bush Mint
Climate Match for your location
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Spearmint is an herbaceous perennial herb with lance-shaped, bright green leaves and delicate purple or white flower spikes. It spreads vigorously via underground rhizomes and is commonly grown for its fresh, sweet leaves used in teas, cooking, and beverages.
Why grow it
Spearmint is milder and less camphoraceous than peppermint, making it preferred for culinary applications where a gentler mint flavor suits the dish. It establishes quickly in most temperate climates and tolerates partial shade better than many mint varieties, offering flexibility in garden placement. The plant produces harvestable leaf material over a longer season than annual herbs, and propagates easily from cuttings or division, reducing input costs.
Watch out for
Spearmint's vigor can make it difficult to contain in mixed plantings; regular harvesting or root barriers help manage its spread. Excessive moisture or poor drainage encourages fungal issues, particularly in humid climates, so site selection and air circulation matter more than with some herbs. Flavor quality can become muted if plants are allowed to flower heavily without being cut back, so periodic pruning maintains productivity.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Lamiaceae
Native Range
Mediterranean
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Years to Bearing
- Propagation
Spearmint is an herbaceous perennial herb with lance-shaped, bright green leaves and delicate purple or white flower spikes. It spreads vigorously via underground rhizomes and is commonly grown for its fresh, sweet leaves used in teas, cooking, and beverages.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Spearmint grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Spearmint is milder and less camphoraceous than peppermint, making it preferred for culinary applications where a gentler mint flavor suits the dish. It establishes quickly in most temperate climates and tolerates partial shade better than many mint varieties, offering flexibility in garden placement. The plant produces harvestable leaf material over a longer season than annual herbs, and propagates easily from cuttings or division, reducing input costs.
Watch out for
Spearmint's vigor can make it difficult to contain in mixed plantings; regular harvesting or root barriers help manage its spread. Excessive moisture or poor drainage encourages fungal issues, particularly in humid climates, so site selection and air circulation matter more than with some herbs. Flavor quality can become muted if plants are allowed to flower heavily without being cut back, so periodic pruning maintains productivity.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Lamiaceae
Native Range
Mediterranean
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Years to Bearing
- Propagation
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