Orange Mint Care: Tips On Growing Orange Mint Herbs

Orange mint (Mentha piperita citrata) is a mint hybrid known for its strong, pleasant citrus flavor and aroma. It’s prized for its culinary uses both for cooking and beverages. On top of being useful in the kitchen, its fragrance makes it a great choice for garden borders where its tendrils can be easily bruised by foot traffic, releasing its scent into the air. Keep reading to learn more about growing orange mint and the uses for orange mint plants.

Growing Orange Mint Herbs

Orange mint herbs, like all mint varieties, are vigorous growers and can overwhelm a garden if they’re allowed to. To keep your orange mint in check, it’s best either to grow it in pots or in containers sunk in the ground. Sunken containers will give the appearance of a regular garden bed while preventing the roots from spreading out beyond their limits. That being said, if you have a space that you’d like to fill out quickly, orange mint is a good choice.

Caring For Orange Mint Plants

Caring for orange mint is very easy. It prefers rich, moist, clay-like soils that are a little acidic, which means it can fill in damp, dense areas of your yard or garden where nothing else will take hold. It grows best in full sun, but it also does very well in partial shade. It can handle quite a bit of neglect. In mid to late summer, it will produce spiked flowers in pink and white that are very good for attracting butterflies. You can use the leaves in salads, jellies, desserts, pestos, lemonades, cocktails, and a wide variety of other dishes. The leaves are edible and very fragrant both raw and cooked.