Types of mint: description of varieties with names, which happens with a photo

There are cultivated and wild mint species. Despite the diversity of this culture, a general description can be made. Herbaceous plants with a height of 30-1000 cm have an elastic stem crowned with an inflorescence of small flowers of purple and pink hues. The plant reaches its maximum concentration of essential oils at the end of the flowering phase, but the collection of fragrant leaves begins in June. Gardeners have long appreciated mint for its healing properties, the possibility of using it in cooking and perfumery.

About the plant

Mint is difficult to confuse with other plants due to the unique smell.Leaves of bright green color are similar in shape to nettles. This culture is familiar to everyone from childhood. Despite the extensive distribution in Russia, the birthplace of mint is Central Asia and the Mediterranean countries.

Among hundreds of species, the most popular are:

pepper;
feline;
lemon;
marsh;
garden;
horse;
longleaf;
garden.

Key Features

Mint of any kind and variety is easy to grow in an apartment and in a garden. Due to its unpretentiousness, the plant is often found among weeds. The culture itself and the extract are widely used in cooking and pharmaceuticals.It serves as the basis for flavorings, among which menthol is a separate link. A huge list of medicinal characteristics allows the use of mint in traditional medicine. However, a few contraindications should be taken into account so as not to harm the body.

Useful properties

The healing properties of mint help in the fight against many diseases, which has been used in the creation of medicines. The herb has a bactericidal, antiseptic, antispasmodic and vasodilating effect. Due to the content of a mass of useful substances, mint cures ailments related to various organ systems:

Digestive. Grass helps with nausea, belching, heartburn, flatulence, spasms. Decoctions stimulate the digestive processes and intestinal motility. It is advisable to use mint for metabolic disorders, problems with the gallbladder, chronic cholecystitis.
Blood-bearing. Medicines prepared at home improve blood circulation, stop angina attacks and hypertension.
Nervous. Peppermint tea is indicated in case of insomnia, depression, stress, neuralgia. Adding fragrant leaves to drinks reduces the intensity of migraines.
Respiratory. The culture has an auxiliary effect in case of respiratory diseases such as asthmatic bronchitis, tonsillitis, colds, alleviating the condition.
Female sexual. Relieves symptoms of menopause, cures inflammation of the genital organs. Weak mint tea is indicated for pregnant women in order to cheer up and relieve signs of toxicosis.

Applications:

Perfume. Peppermint ester is often included in perfumes.
Pharmacy. The herb extract and ester are an ingredient in many mixtures, cough syrups, lozenges, and throat lozenges.
Cooking. Main focus: drinks and desserts.
Cosmetology. Due to its antiseptic properties, it is used in the manufacture of masks for acne and acne.

Before using mint for medicinal purposes, it is recommended to consult a specialist.

Where it grows

Culture is grown in many countries of the world, not only for personal, but also for commercial purposes. In the southern regions, preference is given to perennial varieties, in northern and temperate climates - annuals.

Mint was brought to Russia from England at the end of the 19th century. The largest distribution area is observed in the middle zone of the state.

The light-loving plant is responsive to sunlight. Likes moist, fertile soils.

High productivity is achieved in the Crimea, the Stavropol Territory, in the Caucasus. Some species grow in the Far East and Siberia. In the wild, it is found near swamps, along the banks of rivers and lakes, in wet fields and meadows.

Mint varieties

Specialists are actively working on the creation of new varieties of mint. There are many varieties that do not lose their relevance, for example:

Priluki-6. A meter plant contains 50% menthol. Due to low frost resistance, it is suitable for areas with a warm climate.
Kubanskaya-6. Another heat-loving variety 1000 cm high, with a large presence of menthol.
Krasnodar-2. Mint with less menthol reaches a meter height.
Medicinal-4. Variety with pronounced healing properties. It grows over one meter in height. Menthol reaches 60%.
Mystery. Variety of Ukrainian selection. High menthol content: 64%.
Medic. Outperforms other species in menthol content - 67% and frost resistance.

Mint varieties of European breeders are also cultivated on Russian territory.

Catnip

Catnip is named so because of the presence of non-petalactone, which attracts felines. It grows up to 40-1000 cm. Straight strong stems are covered with triangular-ovate pubescent leaves with notches. White flowers adorned with splashes of purple or purple, bloom in early or mid-summer. The seed pod matures in August.

The plant has a bright, unique lemon aroma. Often found in the wild. An excellent honey plant, often grown next to apiaries. It enjoys success in the perfumery, confectionery, soap-making, and medical fields. People take it in case of anemia, hysterical conditions, migraines, intestinal problems.

Lemon mint

Known under the names: lemon balm, honeydew, honey mint. Upright tetrahedral pubescent shoots grow up to 30-1200 cm. Bright green ovate leaves are attached oppositely on petioles. Pale purple or bluish-white flowers form short panicles. Blooms in summer, seeds ripen closer to autumn. The shelf life of the collected seeds is up to three years.

The pleasant lemon flavor makes mint an essential ingredient in refreshing drinks. Due to its high taste, content of vitamin C, carotene, essential oils, the herb is used in many areas. It has long been grown as a honey plant.

Cold-resistant plant is recommended to cover for the winter, as it is prone to freezing when the temperature drops.

Pampmint

Flea flea is a low perennial, 20-60 cm, with branched stems and wedge-shaped petiolate leaves. Light purple flowers with white tubules form dense rings. Flowering continues from mid to late summer. The fruits are ready for harvest in late August - early September.

Pampmint is valued for its essential oil from pulegone with a touch of menthol. Finds application in confectionery, preservation, perfumery. Popularly used as an antiseptic and wound healing agent, it cures hysterical conditions, bronchial asthma and prolonged cough.

Prohibited use during pregnancy due to abortive properties.

Moroccan mint

This type of mint is appreciated by culinary specialists, one has only to remember the refreshing Moroccan tea. The delicate aroma and bitter hue of the leaves contribute to quenching thirst. A popular seasoning with mint for sauces and desserts. Mint drinks relieve pain and various inflammations, increase immunity, normalize blood pressure, improve digestive processes.

Chocolate Mint

The culture grows in the form of a stunted bush with shoots dotted with round leaves with notches.With sufficient light, the leaves acquire a rich purple color. Dirty white panicles bloom in early August. Prefers damp, light soils, growing quickly. Resistant to cold, diseases and pests.

Chocolate mint is named for its flavor and sweet smell. Demanded as an ornamental plant, spice and medicine.

Spearmint

This fragrant variety is grown everywhere. A strong plant up to 90 cm high is bred commercially for the perfumery, medicinal and culinary fields. The presence of carvone softens the taste and aroma of garden mint, which is valued in the production of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, chewing gum, toothpaste.

Ombalo: flea mint

Creeping plant rarely grows above 30 cm. It has densely pubescent foliage and a false whorl of flowers. Cultivated to decorate the garden, as a honey plant and insect repeller. The latter quality is due to the large amount of pulegone and limonene.

Horsemint

The plant is also known as marsh shandra. It grows in bushes made up of upright pubescent stems 60 cm tall. Oval, moderately pubescent leaves are attached to the shoots. Horsemint blooms in white-pink or dark purple panicles throughout the summer. An unpretentious, light-loving culture grows wild in glades, landfills, wastelands, and ravines.

Peppermint

The most common and sought-after variety, named for its spicy taste. The perennial culture reaches 30-1000 cm. The stems are branched, straight, hollow with oblong ovate leaves with sharply serrated edges, ending in pink or pale purple whorls. Peppermint enters the flowering phase at the end of June and continues to bloom until autumn.Fruit rarely forms. This species is valued as a honey plant, used in medicine, pharmacology and cooking. Not found in the wild.

Curly mint

This plant is also called mint, spicate, spring, German. Perennial herbaceous culture grows up to 80-90 cm. Naked erect shoots with oblong, wrinkled, curly leaves with opposite arrangement are crowned with pinkish-purple inflorescences.

Blossoming continues in the summer. Seeds ripen in October.

In terms of distribution and use, this species is similar to peppermint. The bright aroma and unique taste are due to the presence of carvone and linalool. Refreshing aftertaste is not felt due to the small amount of menthol. In addition to the medical and culinary fields, applications have been developed in the confectionery, tobacco and soap industries.

Longleaf

Frost hardy mint thrives in damp, sun-exposed areas. Strong tetrahedral stems with weak pubescence are collected in bushes 75 cm in height. The leaves are lanceolate, pubescent, with a grayish tint and a serrated edge. Racemes whorled inflorescences of pale lilac or lilac color bloom in July-August. It begins fruiting in late summer - early autumn. If the plant is grown as a spicy-aromatic, the harvest is carried out before entering the flowering phase.

Feature of the long-leaved species: inclusion in the manufacture of green cheese. This mint is rich in ascorbic acid. The essential oil contains menthol, pulegone and carvacrol.