Apple mint - pot ø13 cm (mentha rotundifolia)

Apple mint is a variety of common mint. This herb tastes very fresh and fruity. Of the different varieties of mint, apple mint has the most fruity taste.

In terms of cultivation, mint, apple mint and morocco mint are 100% similar.

GENERAL:
Mint has been used for centuries: it was already known to the Egyptians and the Ancient Greeks.

It is a very extensive family with many varieties (more than 600) that is now found all over the world, both in nature and in many cultivated forms. It is a perennial hardy plant, which expands rapidly in the garden and can reach up to 80 cm in height.

It has angular stems and opposite oblong leaves with a serrated edge and a distinctive menthol odor.
Mint blooms from July through September with small violet flowers.

CULTIVATION TIPS:
Mint prefers a spot in semi-shade or full sun. It grows best in a moist but well-drained, alkaline soil with plenty of nutrients. It is a true weed, multiplying rapidly through its roots. Therefore, to keep the plant in check, it is best to put it in containers or pots.

If you have several varieties of mint it is best to remove all flowering stems to prevent cross-pollination between the different varieties. Throughout the growing season, pick fresh leaves as needed. Watch out for rust (= fungal disease), the only solution is to cut back the plant completely.

CULINARY:
Mint leaves add a surprising, fresh flavor to all kinds of dishes.
It goes well with salads, dipping sauces, new potatoes, lamb,...

However, today it is most often used in desserts: in fruit salads, with various cakes, with chocolate cake,... (in England, a mint chocolate is often offered after dinner). In the North African culture it is impossible to imagine life without mint tea.

MEDICINAL:
Mint tea is good for colds, the vapor works for stuffy nose. Mint also works antispasmodic, is good against nausea and migraines. Adding a few mint leaves to the bath water is invigorating and refreshing. It is also used in saunas or during massages.

Note: The use of mint is not recommended in children under 12 and pregnant women.