Mint Plant Varieties: Types Of Mint For The Garden

There are over 7,500 varieties of mint. The mint species regularly hybridizes, naturally creating different species. It has also been heavily bred to bring out certain traits, and imbue the plant with specific flavors. This is why there are pineapple, ginger, lemon, and many more types of mint plants. For an exciting culinary adventure, here are 16 popular and tasty mint plants to try growing.

Varieties of Mint

If you know how to grow mint of one variety, you basically know how to grow them all - mint plants all have about the same cultural requirements. Mint may spread and become invasive but container growing is an ideal way to prevent invasiveness. Moist, well draining soil is crucial but the plants will thrive in full to partial sun. Mint flowers are a beacon for pollinators and the scent perfumes the garden.

1. Peppermint - Mentha piperita

Peppermint is a cross between spearmint and wintermint. It is an upright perennial plant that can survive on just 3 hours of sun per day. Pinching mint will enforce a compact, thicker form. Grow peppermint to use as a tea, in mint sauce, or as an addition to desserts.

2. Spearmint- Mentha spicata

Spearmint is native to Europe and found growing wild near ponds, streams, and other moist locations. Unlike many mint species, spearmint has almost hairless leaves attached to the stem by a petiole. It forms dense thickets of ground cover. The plant is 12 inches tall (30 cm.) and is one of the most used mints. Making mint sauce with lamb is one of the common reasons for growing spearmint.

3. Pineapple Mint- Mentha suaveolens

Pineapple mint may also be referred to as wooly or apple mint. It is a variegated species with white borders along the green leaves. Pineapple mint care is easy, and it boasts a classic mint flavor combined with fruitiness. In iced tea it imparts a tropical freshness. The pale flowers bring in a host of beneficial insects.

4. Orange Mint- Mentha piperita citrata

Orange mint releases a citrus aroma when the leaves are bruised. It spreads from rhizomes and can become invasive, so growing orange mint in containers is advisable. The flavorful leaves impart a light orange fragrance to lemonade and cocktails.

5. Chocolate Mint- Mentha piperita

Chocolate mint is a cross of peppermint and orange mint. This is a sterile variety that produces no seeds. The plant grows upright to a height of 2 feet (0.6 m) and bears slightly rounded green leaves and lavender flowers. If you're growing chocolate mint, you'll notice that while the scent resembles chocolate, the flavor is more akin to that of orange mint.

6. Ginger Mint- Mentha gracilis

This is a boldly flavored plant also called Scotch or Vietnamese mint. It is a cross between spearmint and corn mint. It forms an aggressive shrub of 2 feet (0.6 m), so growing ginger mint should be done with caution. Teas made from the plant are used to treat fever, headache, and gastronomic issues. The flavor of ginger mint pairs well with tomatoes and melons.

7. Horsemint- Monarda punctata

Horsemint is a true mint in the Lamiaceae family. It is in a group of plants known as “bee balms”. Also known as spotted horsemint due to the spotted bracts. This mint is quite tall at 3 feet (0.9 m.) and very cold hardy. It has been used traditionally as a medicine to treat colds, fevers, and skin disorders.

8. Catmint- Nepeta mussinii

Catmint is a common herb that is renowned for its attractiveness to felines. It is native to temperate Eurasia and tropical Africa. This mint should be planted in full sun. The plant tends to spread but does well in containers. Catmint herb flowers attract many beneficial insects and the minty flavored leaves are edible but do not contain a strong menthol flavor.

9. Lemon Mint- Monarda citriodora

Lemon mint is also known as purple horsemint. It has the mint family’s characteristic square stems and produces deep purple flowers. It's drought tolerant, so growing lemon mint in sunny borders or cut flower gardens is easy. The leaves release a citrus scent when crushed.

10. Corn Mint -Mentha arvensis

Corn mint or yerba buena, is an erect, hairy leaved plant with a distinct slightly moldy but floral scent. It is native to parts of Europe and Asia. In traditional Japanese medicine, growing corn mint for its oil is common, as it is used for a host of ailments.

11. Calamint- Calamintha nepeta

Calamint’s scientific name translates from the Latin to “beautiful mint”. The plant produces prolific clouds of white flowers for months, giving pollinators plenty of nectar. It is a bushy perennial hardy to USDA zone 5. Crushing the foliage releases the scent of mint. Growing calamint is useful in areas with deer, who are repelled by the scent.

12. Water mint- Mentha aquatica

Watermint is a European native found along streams and other waterways. The leaves are deeply green, hairy, and have purple veins. Growing watermint along a home pond or waterfall is ideal, as it makes an excellent riparian plant. To prevent its spread, plant it in a pot lightly submerged in water.

13. Grapefruit Mint- Mentha piperita

Grapefruit mint is only hardy to United States Department of Agriculture zone 6, and is therefore one of the less cold tolerant species. It spreads like most species and cultivars, providing 1 foot tall (0.3 m) groundcover, so growing grapefruit mint should be done with caution. The bruised leaves release a citrusy mint scent.

14. Pennyroyal- Mentha pulegium

There is an American species of pennyroyal that is not a true mint but the leaves release a minty scent. European pennyroyal, or Mentha pulegium, is a true mint and hardy to USDA zones 5-9. Growing pennyroyal was once common as it was widely used as a medicine, both from its oil and its leaves dried as tea.

15. Red Raripila Mint-Mentha smithiana

Red raripila is a true hybrid made of corn mint, watermint, and spearmint. It has green leaves with red veins and stems. Red raripila care is rewarding - thought this mint is sterile, it produces many flowers attractive to pollinating insects.

16. Lavender Mint- Mentha piperita

This is a red stemmed mint with characteristic hairy leaves that are rounded rather than oval. The flowers look very much like lavender, but the scent is mostly minty. Growing lavender mint for harvest is rewarding - the leaves may be used fresh or dried, but dried leaves lose some scent and flavor.