View source for Mentha

{{short description|Genus of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae}}
{{for|the asteroid|1078 Mentha}}
{{automatic taxobox
| image = {{Photomontage
| photo1a = Mentha spicata-IMG 6186.jpg{{!}}Inflorescence of ''Mentha spicata''
| photo2a = Mentha piperita - Flickr - aspidoscelis (1).jpg{{!}}''Mentha x piperita''
| size = 250
}}
|image_caption = ''[[Mentha spicata]]'' (Spearmint)<br>''[[Mentha × piperita]]'' (Peppermint)
|display_parents = 2
|taxon = Mentha
|authority = [[Carl Linnaeus|L.]]
|type_species = ''[[Mentha spicata]]''
|type_species_authority = [[Carl Linnaeus|L.]]
|synonyms_ref = <ref name=POWO_30016176-2/>
|synonyms = *''Pulegium'' <small>[[Philip Miller|Mill.]]</small>
*''Preslia'' <small>[[Philipp Maximilian Opiz|Opiz]]</small>
*''Audibertia'' <small>[[George Bentham|Benth.]]</small>
*''Menthella'' <small>[[Alexandre Jules César Pérard|Pérard]]</small>
*''Minthe'' <small>[[Jean Baptiste Saint-Lager|St.-Lag.]]</small>
}}

'''''Mentha''''', also known as '''mint''' (from [[Ancient Greek|Greek]] {{lang|grc|μίνθα}} {{Transliteration|el|míntha}},<ref name="LSJ">{{LSJ|mi/nqa^|μίνθα|cite}}</ref> [[Linear B]] ''mi-ta''<ref>[http://www.palaeolexicon.com/ Palaeolexicon] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110203111627/http://palaeolexicon.com/ |date=2011-02-03 }}, Word study tool of ancient languages</ref>), is a [[genus]] of [[flowering plants]] in the mint family, [[Lamiaceae]].<ref name=Harl04/> It is estimated that 13 to 24 [[species]] exist, but the exact distinction between species is unclear.<ref name=Buns04/><ref name=POWO_30016176-2/> [[Hybrid (biology)|Hybridization]] occurs [[Nature|naturally]] where some [[Species distribution|species' ranges]] overlap. Many [[Hybrid plant|hybrids]] and [[cultivar]]s are known.

The genus has a [[Cosmopolitan distribution#Related terms and concepts|subcosmopolitan]] distribution, growing best in wet environments and moist soils.

==Description==
[[File:Spearmint flower.jpg|thumb|Flowering verticillasters of a spearmint.]]
Mints are aromatic, almost exclusively [[perennial]] [[Herbaceous plant|herbs]]. They have wide-spreading underground and overground [[stolon]]s<ref name=Afla05/> and erect, square,<ref name=Rose81/> branched stems. Mints will grow {{convert|10|–|120|cm|in|round=0.5|abbr=on}} tall and can spread over an indeterminate area. Due to their tendency to spread unchecked, some mints are considered [[invasive plant|invasive]].<ref name=BricCole02/>

The [[leaf|leaves]] are arranged in [[opposite leaves|opposite]] pairs, from [[leaf shape|oblong]] to [[lanceolate]], often downy, and with a [[Leaf#Edge|serrate]]d margin. Leaf colors range from dark green and gray-green to purple, blue, and sometimes pale yellow.<ref name="azEncycloPlants"/>

The [[flower]]s are produced in long bracts from leaf axils.<ref>{{cite book |last=Mohlenbrock |first= Robert H. |year=2014 |title= Vascular Flora of Illinois: A Field Guide |edition= 4th |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=aCd6CgAAQBAJ&dq=mentha+flowers&pg=PA256 |publisher=Southern Illinois University Press |page= 256 |isbn=978-0-8093-3208-3}}</ref> They are white to purple and produced in false whorls called verticillasters. The corolla is two-lipped with four [[subequal]] lobes, the upper lobe usually the largest. The [[fruit]] is a nutlet, containing one to four [[seed]]s.

== Taxonomy ==
''Mentha'' is a member of the tribe [[Mentheae]] in the subfamily [[Nepetoideae]]. The tribe contains about 65 genera, and relationships within it remain obscure.<ref name=Harl04/> Authors have disagreed on the [[Circumscription (taxonomy)|circumscription]] of ''Mentha''. For example, ''M.&nbsp;cervina'' has been placed in ''Pulegium'' and ''Preslia'', and ''M.&nbsp;cunninghamii'' has been placed in ''[[Micromeria]]''.<ref name=TuckNacz07/> In 2004, a [[molecular phylogenetics|molecular phylogenetic]] study indicated that both ''M. cervina'' and ''M. cunninghamii'' should be included in ''Mentha''.<ref name=Buns04/> However, ''M. cunninghamii'' was excluded in a 2007 treatment of the genus.<ref name=TuckNacz07/>

More than 3,000 names have been published in the genus ''Mentha'', at ranks from species to forms, the majority of which are regarded as [[Synonym (taxonomy)|synonyms]] or [[Nomen illegitimum|illegitimate name]]s. The taxonomy of the genus is made difficult because many species hybridize readily, or are themselves derived from possibly ancient hybridization events. Seeds from hybrids give rise to variable offspring, which may spread through vegetative propagation. The variability has led to what has been described as "paroxysms of species and subspecific taxa"; for example, one taxonomist published 434 new mint taxa for central Europe alone between 1911 and 1916.<ref name=TuckNacz07/> Recent sources recognize between 18<ref name=TuckNacz07/> and 24<ref name=POWO_30016176-2/> species.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.theplantlist.org/browse/A/Lamiaceae/Mentha/ | title=Mentha — the Plant List }}</ref>

===Species===
{{As of|2020|December}}, [[Plants of the World Online]] recognized the following species:<ref name=POWO_30016176-2/>
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
*''[[Mentha alaica]]'' <small>Boriss.</small>
*''[[Mentha aquatica]]'' <small>L.</small> – water mint, marsh mint
*''[[Mentha arvensis]]'' <small>L.</small> – corn mint, wild mint, Japanese peppermint, field mint, banana mint
*''[[Mentha atrolilacina]]'' <small>[[Barry Conn|B.J.Conn]] & D.J.Duval</small> – slender mint
*''[[Mentha australis]]'' <small>R.Br.</small> – Australian mint
*''[[Mentha canadensis]]'' <small>L.</small> – Canada mint, American wild mint
*''[[Mentha cervina]]'' <small>L.</small> – Hart's pennyroyal
*''[[Mentha cunninghamii]]'' <small>(Benth.) Benth.</small> – New Zealand mint
*''[[Mentha dahurica]]'' <small>Fisch. ex Benth.</small> – Dahurian thyme
*''[[Mentha darvasica]]'' <small>Boriss.</small>
*''[[Mentha diemenica]]'' <small>Spreng.</small> – slender mint
*''[[Mentha gattefossei]]'' <small>Maire</small>
*''[[Mentha grandiflora]]'' <small>Benth.</small>
*''[[Mentha japonica]]'' <small>(Miq.) Makino</small>
*''[[Mentha laxiflora]]'' <small>Benth.</small> – forest mint
*''[[Mentha longifolia]]'' <small>(L.) L.</small> – horse mint
*''[[Mentha micrantha]]'' <small>(Fisch. ex Benth.) Heinr.Braun</small>
*''[[Mentha pamiroalaica]]'' <small>Boriss.</small>
*''[[Mentha pulegium]]'' <small>L.</small> – pennyroyal
*''[[Mentha requienii]]'' <small>Benth.</small> – Corsican mint
*''[[Mentha royleana]]'' <small>Wall. ex Benth.</small>
*''[[Mentha satureioides]]'' <small>R.Br.</small> – native pennyroyal
*''[[Mentha spicata]]'' <small>L.</small> – spearmint, garden mint (a cultivar of spearmint)
*''[[Mentha suaveolens]]'' <small>Ehrh.</small> – apple mint, pineapple mint (a variegated cultivar of apple mint)
{{div col end}}

=== Other species ===
There are a number of plants that have mint in the common English name but which do not belong to the genus ''Mentha'':<ref>{{cite web | url=https://da.corse-machin.com/article/mint_varieties | title=Myntsorter }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://denstoredanske.lex.dk/mynte | title=Mynte &#124; lex.dk | date=10 November 2022 }}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite web | url=https://www.britannica.com/plant/Mentha | title=Mint &#124; Description, Genus, Species, Uses, & Facts &#124; '' Encyclopædia Britannica'' | date=21 July 2023 }}</ref>
* ''[[Agastache]]'' sp. – known as horse mints
* ''[[Calamintha]]'' sp. (syn. ''Clinopodium'') – known as calamints
* ''[[Clinopodium acinos]]'' (syn. ''Acinos arvensis'') – known as backle mint
* ''[[Elsholtzia ciliata]]'' – known as comb mint, crested late summer mint
* ''[[Melissa officinalis]]'' – known as balm mint
* ''[[Nepeta]]'' sp. – known as cat mint or catnip
* ''[[Origanum]]'' sp. – known as rock mint
* ''[[Persicaria odorata]]'' – known as Vietnamese mint
* ''[[Sideritis|Sideritis montana]]'' – known as sider mint

=== Hybrids ===
[[File:CSA-Chocolate-Mint.jpg|thumb|The ''Mentha'' × ''piperita'' hybrid known as "chocolate mint"]]
The mint genus has a large grouping of recognized hybrids. Those accepted by Plants of the World Online are listed below.<ref name=POWO_30016176-2/> Parent species are taken from Tucker & Naczi (2007).<ref name=TuckNacz07/> Synonyms, along with cultivars and varieties where available, are included within the specific nothospecies.

*[[Mentha × carinthiaca|''Mentha'' × ''carinthiaca'']] <small>Host</small> - ''M. arvensis'' × ''M. suaveolens''
*[[Mentha × dalmatica|''Mentha'' × ''dalmatica'']] <small>Tausch</small> - ''M. arvensis'' × ''M. longifolia''
*[[Mentha × dumetorum|''Mentha'' × ''dumetorum'']] <small>Schult.</small> - ''M. aquatica'' × ''M. longifolia''
*[[Mentha × gayeri|''Mentha'' × ''gayeri'']] <small>Trautm.</small> - ''M. longifolia'' × ''M. spicata'' × ''M. suaveolens''
*[[Mentha × gracilis|''Mentha'' × ''gracilis'']] <small>Sole</small> (<small>syn. ''Mentha'' × ''gentilis''</small>) - ''M. arvensis'' × ''M. spicata'' – ginger mint, Scotch spearmint
*[[Mentha × kuemmerlei|''Mentha'' × ''kuemmerlei'']] <small>Trautm.</small> - ''M. aquatica'' × ''M. spicata'' × ''M. suaveolens''
*[[Mentha × locyana|''Mentha'' × ''locyana'']] <small>Borbás</small> - ''M. longifolia'' × ''M. verticillata''
*[[Peppermint|''Mentha'' × ''piperita'']] <small>L.</small> - ''M. aquatica'' × ''M. spicata'' – peppermint, chocolate mint
*[[Mentha × pyramidalis|''Mentha'' × ''pyramidalis'']] <small>Ten.</small> - ''M. aquatica'' × ''M. microphylla''
*[[Mentha × rotundifolia|''Mentha'' × ''rotundifolia'']] <small>(L.) Huds.</small> - ''M. longifolia'' × ''M. suaveolens'' – false apple mint
*[[Mentha × suavis|''Mentha'' × ''suavis'']] <small>Guss.</small> (<small>syn. ''Mentha'' × ''amblardii'',<ref>{{cite web | url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:450179-1 | title=Mentha × amblardii Debeaux &#124; Plants of the World Online &#124; Kew Science }}</ref> ''Mentha × lamiifolia'',<ref>{{cite web | url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:450678-1 | title=Mentha × lamiifolia Ten. &#124; Plants of the World Online &#124; Kew Science }}</ref> ''Mentha × langii'',<ref>{{cite web | url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77244175-1 | title=Mentha × langii Steud. Ex Hagenb. &#124; Plants of the World Online &#124; Kew Science }}</ref> ''Mentha × mauponii'',<ref>{{cite web | url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:450764-1 | title=Mentha × mauponii Gadeceau &#124; Plants of the World Online &#124; Kew Science }}</ref> ''Mentha × maximilianea'',<ref>{{cite web | url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:450766-1 | title=Mentha × maximilianea F.W.Schultz &#124; Plants of the World Online &#124; Kew Science }}</ref> ''Mentha × rodriguezii'',<ref>{{cite web | url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:451071-1 | title=Mentha × rodriguezii Malinv. &#124; Plants of the World Online &#124; Kew Science }}</ref> ''Mentha × weissenburgensis''<ref>{{cite web | url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77243790-1 | title=Mentha × weissenburgensis F.W.Schultz &#124; Plants of the World Online &#124; Kew Science }}</ref></small>) - ''M. aquatica'' × ''M. suaveolens''<ref>{{cite web | url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:451192-1 | title=Mentha × suavis Guss. &#124; Plants of the World Online &#124; Kew Science }}</ref>
*[[Mentha × verticillata|''Mentha'' × ''verticillata'']] <small>L.</small> - ''M. aquatica'' × ''M. arvensis''
*[[Mentha × villosa|''Mentha'' × ''villosa'']] <small>Huds.</small> (<small>syn. ''M. nemorosa''</small>) - ''M. spicata'' × ''M. suaveolens'' – large apple mint, foxtail mint, hairy mint, woolly mint, Cuban mint, mojito mint, and ''yerba buena'' in Cuba
*[[Mentha × villosa-nervata|''Mentha'' × ''villosa-nervata'']] <small>Opiz</small> - ''M. longifolia'' × ''M. spicata'' – sharp-toothed mint
*[[Mentha × wirtgeniana|''Mentha'' × ''wirtgeniana'']] <small>F.W.Schultz</small> (<small>syn. ''Mentha'' × ''smithiana''</small>) - ''M. aquatica'' × ''M. arvensis'' × ''M. spicata'' – red raripila mint

=== Common names and cultivars ===
There are hundreds of common English names for species and cultivars of ''Mentha''. These include:
* Apple mint - ''Mentha suaveolens'' and ''Mentha × rotundifolia''
* Banana mint - ''Mentha arvensis'' 'Banana'
* Bowles mint - ''Mentha villosa'' and ''Mentha × villosa'' 'Alopecuroides'
* Canada mint - ''Mentha canadensis''
* Chocolate mint - ''Mentha × piperita'' 'Chocolate'
* Corsican mint - ''Mentha requienii''
* Cuba mint - ''Mentha × villosa''
* Curly mint - ''Mentha spicata'' 'Curly'
* Eau de Cologne mint - ''Mentha × piperita'' 'Citrata'
* Field mint - ''Mentha arvensis''
* Flea mint - ''Mentha requienii'' 
* Ginger mint - ''Mentha × gracilis''
* Gray mint - ''Mentha longifolia''
* Green mint - ''Mentha spicata'' 
* Grey mint - ''Mentha longifolia''
* Japanese peppermint - ''Mentha arvensis'' var. ''piperascens''
* Japanese mint or Japanese medicine mint - ''Mentha spicata'' 'Abura'
* Kiwi mint - ''Mentha cunninghamii''
* Lemon mint - ''Mentha × piperita'' var. ''citrata'' and ''Mentha × gentilis''
* Marsh mint - ''Mentha aquatica''
* Meadow mint - ''Mentha × gracilis'' and ''Mentha arvensis''
* Mojito mint - ''Mentha spicata'' 'Mojito'
* Moroccan mint - ''Mentha spicata var. crispa'' 'Moroccan' and mints collected in Morocco
* Pennyroyal - ''Mentha pulegium''
* Peppermint - ''Mentha × piperita'' and sometimes ''Mentha requienii''
* Pineapple mint - ''Mentha suaveolens'' 'Variegata' and ''Mentha suaveolens'' 'Pineapple' 
* Polemint - ''Mentha pulegium''
* Red raripila mint - ''Mentha × wirtgeniana''
* Round leaf mint - ''Mentha suaveolens''
* Spearmint - ''Mentha spicata''
* Strawberry mint - ''Mentha × piperita'' 'Strawberry'
* Swiss mint - ''Mentha × piperita'' 'Swiss'
* Tall mint - ''Mentha × wirtgeniana''
* Tea mint - ''Mentha × verticillata''
* Toothmint - ''Mentha × smithiana''
* Water mint - ''Mentha aquatica''
* Woolly mint - ''Mentha × rotundifolia''

== Distribution and habitat ==
The genus has a [[Cosmopolitan distribution#Related terms and concepts|subcosmopolitan]] distribution across Europe, Africa – (Southern Africa), Asia, Australia – Oceania, North America and South America.<ref name="azEncycloPlants" /><ref name=":0" /> Its species can be found in many environments, but most grow best in wet environments and moist soils.

== Ecology ==
Mints are used as food by the larvae of some [[Lepidoptera]] species, including [[Buff Ermine|buff ermine]] moths, and by beetles, such as ''[[Chrysolina coerulans]]'' (blue mint beetle)<ref>{{cite web |title=Blue Mint Beetle, ''Chrysolina coerulans'' |url=https://candidegardening.com/GB/insects/736c058c-7663-4632-9f9b-f0b7c7176d11 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803225703/https://candidegardening.com/GB/insects/736c058c-7663-4632-9f9b-f0b7c7176d11 |archive-date=3 August 2020 |access-date=9 May 2020 |website=candide gardening.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Rosenberg |first=Marc |date=20 August 2012 |title=Watch out for blue mint beetle |url=https://www.amateurgardening.com/news/watch-out-for-blue-mint-beetle-4977 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804011924/https://www.amateurgardening.com/news/watch-out-for-blue-mint-beetle-4977 |archive-date=4 August 2020 |access-date=7 May 2020 |website=amateurgardening.com}}</ref> and ''[[Chrysolina herbacea|C. herbacea]]'' (mint leaf beetle).<ref name="world">{{cite web |title=Mint leaf beetle |url=http://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/solve-problems/mint-leaf-beetle/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170422033148/http://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/solve-problems/mint-leaf-beetle/ |archive-date=22 April 2017 |access-date=20 April 2017 |publisher=gardenersworld.com}}</ref>

=== Diseases ===
{{Main|List of mint diseases}}

== Cultivation ==
[[File:Mentha gracilis and rotundifolia MN 2007.JPG|thumb|''Mentha x gracilis'' and ''M. rotundifolia'': The steel ring is to control the spread of the plant.]]

All mints thrive near pools of water, lakes, rivers, and cool moist spots in partial shade.<ref name=Roda92/> In general, mints tolerate a wide range of conditions, and can also be grown in full sun. Mint grows all year round.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.harighotra.co.uk/my-blog/minted| title = Minted| date = 12 August 2014| access-date = 2014-08-18| archive-date = 2014-08-31| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140831074438/http://www.harighotra.co.uk/my-blog/minted| url-status = live}}</ref>

They are fast-growing, extending their reach along surfaces through a network of [[rhizome|runners]]. Due to their speedy growth, one plant of each desired mint, along with a little care, will provide more than enough mint for home use. Some mint species are more [[Invasive plants|invasive]] than others. Even with the less invasive mints, care should be taken when mixing any mint with any other plants, lest the mint take over. To control mints in an open environment, they should be planted in deep, bottomless containers sunk in the ground, or planted above ground in tubs and barrels.<ref name=Roda92 />

Some mints can be propagated by seed, but growth from seed can be an unreliable method for raising mint for two reasons: mint seeds are highly variable (i.e. one might not end up with what was supposedly planted)<ref name=Roda92 /> and some mint varieties are sterile. It is more effective to take and plant cuttings from the runners of healthy mints.

The most common and popular mints for commercial cultivation are [[peppermint]] (''Mentha × piperita''), [[spearmint|native spearmint]] (''Mentha spicata''), [[Mentha x gracilis|Scotch spearmint]] (''Mentha x gracilis''), and [[Mentha arvensis|cornmint]] (''Mentha arvensis'');<ref name=CanadaEncyc/> also (more recently) [[apple mint]] (''Mentha suaveolens'').

Mints are supposed to make good [[companion plant]]s, repelling insect pests and attracting beneficial ones. They are susceptible to [[whitefly]] and [[aphid]]s.

Harvesting of mint leaves can be done at any time. Fresh leaves should be used immediately or stored up to a few days in plastic bags in a refrigerator. Optionally, leaves can be frozen in ice cube trays. Dried mint leaves should be stored in an airtight container placed in a cool, dark, dry area.<ref name=Orti92/>

==Uses==
{{Unfocused|date=July 2019|section=yes|reason=it treats the genus ''Mentha'' ("mint") as if it were a single kind of plant, whereas many of the uses apply only to one species or cultivated variety of the genus}}

===Culinary===
[[File:Mintjelly.jpg|thumb|right|175px|A jar of mint jelly, a traditional condiment served with lamb dishes]]
[[File:Mint lemonade.jpg|thumb|175px|''[[Limonana]]'' (mint lemonade) served in [[Damascus]], [[Syria]]]]

The leaf, fresh or dried, is the culinary source of mint. Fresh mint is usually preferred over dried mint when storage of the mint is not a problem. The leaves have a warm, fresh, aromatic, sweet flavor with a cool aftertaste, and are used in teas, syrups, candies, ice creams,{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}} sweet foods, beverages, jellies and sauces.<ref name="The Culinary Institute of America 2011 180">{{Cite book |last=The Culinary Institute of America |author-link=The Culinary Institute of America |title=The Professional Chef |publisher=[[Wiley (publisher)|Wiley]] |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-470-42 135-2 |edition=9th |location=Hoboken, New Jersey |page=180}}</ref> In [[Middle Eastern cuisine]], mint is used in [[lamb and mutton|lamb]] dishes,{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}} while in [[British cuisine]] and [[Cuisine of the United States|American cuisine]], [[mint sauce]] and mint jelly are used, respectively.<ref name="The Culinary Institute of America 2011 180"/> Mint (pudina) is a staple in [[Indian cuisine]], used for flavouring curries and other dishes.

Mint is a necessary ingredient in [[Touareg tea]], a popular tea in northern African and Arab countries. Alcoholic drinks sometimes feature mint for flavor or garnish, such as the [[mint julep]] and the [[mojito]]. ''[[Crème de menthe]]'' is a mint-flavored [[liqueur]] used in drinks such as the [[Grasshopper (cocktail)|grasshopper]].

Mint [[essential oil]] and [[menthol]] are extensively used as flavorings in breath fresheners, drinks, [[antiseptic mouth rinse]]s, [[toothpaste]], [[chewing gum]], [[dessert]]s, and [[candy|candies]], such as [[mint (candy)]] and [[mint chocolate]]. The substances that give the mints their characteristic aromas and flavors are menthol (the main aroma of peppermint and Japanese peppermint) and [[pulegone]] (in pennyroyal and Corsican mint). The compound primarily responsible for the aroma and flavor of spearmint is <small>L</small>-[[carvone]].

===Traditional medicine and cosmetics===
The [[ancient Greeks]] rubbed mint on their arms, believing it would make them stronger.<ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Prance |editor1-first=Ghillean |editor2-last=Nesbitt |editor2-first=Mark |last1=Sanderson |first1=Helen |last2=Renfrew |first2=Jane M. |date=2005 |title=The Cultural History of Plants |publisher=Routledge |page=106 |isbn=0415927463}}</ref> Mint was originally used as a medicinal herb to treat [[Abdominal pain|stomach ache]] and [[chest pain]]s.<ref name=nccam/> There are several uses in [[traditional medicine]]<ref name=JamiMost14/> and preliminary research for possible use of peppermint in treating [[irritable bowel syndrome]].<ref name=nccam/>

Menthol from mint essential oil (40–90%) is an ingredient of many [[cosmetics]] and some [[perfume]]s. Menthol and mint essential oil are also used in [[aromatherapy]] which may have clinical use to alleviate post-surgery [[nausea]].<ref name="nccam"/><ref name=Hunt13/>

====Allergic reaction====
Although it is used in many [[consumer products]], mint may cause [[allergic reactions]] in some people, inducing symptoms such as [[abdominal cramps]], [[diarrhea]], [[headache]]s, [[heartburn]], tingling or numbing around the mouth, [[anaphylaxis]], or [[contact dermatitis]].<ref name=nccam/><ref name=BayaBori14/>

===Insecticides===
Mint oil is also used as an [[environmentally friendly]] [[insecticide]] for its ability to kill some common pests such as wasps, hornets, ants, and cockroaches.<ref name=Boun09/>

===Room scent and aromatherapy===
Known in Greek mythology as the herb of hospitality,<ref name=HerbSoc/> one of mint's first known uses in Europe was as a room deodorizer.<ref name=Hunt04/> The herb was strewn across floors to cover the smell of the hard-packed soil. Stepping on the mint helped to spread its scent through the room. Today, it is more commonly used for aromatherapy through the use of essential oils.

== Etymology of "mint" ==
[[File:Mint-leaves-2007.jpg|thumb|An example of mint leaves]]

The word "mint" descends from the [[Latin language|Latin]] word ''mentha'' or ''menta'',<ref>{{cite dictionary |url= https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0059%3Aentry%3Dmenta |title= menta (mentha) |last1= Lewis |first1= Charlton T. |last2= Short |first2= Charles |dictionary= A Latin Dictionary |edition= |publisher= Perseus Digital Library |date = 1879 }}</ref> which is rooted in the [[Greek language|Greek]] words {{lang|el|μίνθα}} ''mintha'', {{lang|el|μίνθη}} ''minthē'' or {{lang|el|μίντη}} ''mintē'' meaning "[[spearmint]]".<ref name="LSJ"/> The plant was personified in [[Greek mythology]] as [[Minthe]], a nymph who was beloved by [[Hades]] and was transformed into a mint plant by either [[Persephone]] or [[Demeter]]. {{citation needed span|date=July 2025|reason=Greek words in -ινθ are typically substrate borrowings|This, in turn, ultimately derived from a [[proto-Indo-European]] root that is also the origin of the [[Sanskrit]] ''-mantha, mathana'' (''[[premna serratifolia]]'').}}

References to "mint leaves", without a qualifier like "peppermint" or "apple mint", generally refer to spearmint leaves.

In [[Spain]] and [[Central America|Central]] and [[South America]], mint is known as ''menta''. In [[Lusophone]] countries, especially in [[Portugal]], mint species are popularly known as ''[[:pt:Hortelã|hortelã]]''. In many [[Indo-Aryan languages]], it is called ''pudīna'': {{Langx|ur|پودینہ}}, {{langx|hi|पुदीना}} <!-- Hindi: पुदीना. -->, {{langx|sd|ڦُودنو}}, {{langx|bn|পুদিনা}} borrowed from [[Persian language|Persian]] {{lang|fa|پودنه}} ''pudna'' or {{lang|fa|پونه}} ''puna'' meaning "[[Mentha pulegium|pennyroyal]]".<ref name="Iranica">{{cite encyclopedia |title=Mint |encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia Iranica |last1= Mohammadifar |first1=Shamameh| year= 2022 |orig-date= 1 January 2000 |publisher= Encyclopaedia Iranica Foundation |edition= online |url=https://iranicaonline.org/articles/mint-herb |access-date= 1 December 2022 }}</ref>

The taxonomic family Lamiaceae is known as the mint family. It includes many other aromatic herbs, including most of the more common cooking herbs, such as [[basil]], [[rosemary]], [[Common sage|sage]], [[oregano]], and [[catnip]].

As an English colloquial term, any small mint-flavored [[confectionery]] item can be called a mint.<ref name=Davi99/>

In common usage, other plants with fragrant leaves may be called "mint", although they are not in the mint family:
* [[Vietnamese Coriander|Vietnamese mint]], commonly used in [[Southeast Asia]]n cuisine is ''Persicaria odorata'' in the family [[Polygonaceae]], collectively known as smartweeds or pinkweeds.
* Mexican mint marigold is ''[[Tagetes lucida]]'' in the sunflower family ([[Asteraceae]]).

==Fossil record==
''Mentha pliocenica'' [[fossil]] seeds have been excavated in [[Pliocene]] deposits of Dvorets on the right bank of the [[Dnieper river]] between the cities of [[Rechitsa]] and [[Loyew]], in south-eastern [[Belarus]]. The fossil seeds are similar to the seeds of ''[[Mentha aquatica]]'' and ''Mentha arvensis''.<ref name=VeliZast03/>

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}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Mentha}}
{{EB1911 poster|Mint (plant)}}
* [http://rbg-web2.rbge.org.uk/cgi-bin/nph-readbtree.pl/feout?FAMILY_XREF=&GENUS_XREF=Mentha&SPECIES_XREF=&TAXON_NAME_XREF=&RANK=species Flora Europaea: ''Mentha'']
* [http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/m/mints-39.html Botanical.com entry on Mint]
* {{cite web |title=Mentha species PFAF Plant Database |url=https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Mentha+species |website=Plants for a future}}
* [https://books.google.com/books?id=BYPPEjWMOOQC&dq=tucker+naczi+mint+the+genus+mentha&pg=PP8 Preview of ''Mint: The Genus Mentha'']

{{Herbs & spices}}
{{Mint}}
{{Transient receptor potential channel modulators}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q47859}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Herbs]]
[[Category:Indian spices]]
[[Category:Lamiaceae genera]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants]]
[[Category:Mentha| ]]
[[Category:Stoloniferous plants]]
[[Category:Botanical taxa named by Carl Linnaeus]]