Spearmint

Spearmint at Redding Arboretum

 I have previously written a post about hyssop then found out that it was not hyssop after all. Twice, in fact, as it turned out to be. Hyssop keeps eluding me though I'd like very much to see the plant.

Spearmintp leaves close-up

Spearmint or Mentha spicata has been known since ancient time and for good reasons too. Like lots of other mints it is a very aromatic plant: you don't even have to rub the leaves: the pleasant odour is still present. The flowerheads are elongated clusters of tiny flowers, so tiny indeed that I could not capture them on my camera. The stem is typical square stem with opposite leaves alternating on the stem characteristic of the mint family.Like other mints the stems are covered with fuzz.

Mentha spicata

This mint is very good looking and extremely aromatic and it's a jewel plant for every herb garden. It can be grown from seed or propagated from cuttings or even root divisions.

Spearmint bloom

Notice the wide variety within the genus mentha alone. Spearmint (Mentha spicata) looks very different from wild mint (Mentha arvensis) or water mint (Mentha aquatica). Mint species can be crossed to make hybrids, for example peppermint (Mentha × piperita) is hybrid of  Mentha spicata and Mentha aquatica.

I will keep looking for hyssop (Hyssopus).