Strange mint?

18 years ago

I bought a mint plant at Home Depot yesterday in hopes of making mint tea. It doesn't say what kind of mint, and lists its scientific name as "menthe species." Yeah, that's helpful.

I'm worried that it may be pennyroyal, which from what I understand would be dangerous to consume.

I've included links to two pictures I took of the plant. One is the plant itself, and the other is a close-up of the leaves. The leaves themselves have a fine hair, but I wouldn't say they are fuzzy. The stems of the plant are very vine-like.

http://s235.photobucket.com/albums/ee70/K_Mommy0407/?action=view&current=mintcloseup.jpg

http://s235.photobucket.com/albums/ee70/K_Mommy0407/?action=view&current=mint1.jpg

Could someone help me identify it?

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Comments (4)

Daisyduckworth
18 years ago
I couldn't access your pictures, but it could be spearmint or lemon balm or apple mint, all of which can be a bit 'fuzzy'. Mind you, lemon balm isn't 'mentha', but it belongs to the same Labiatae family as the mints.

Pennyroyal has a smooth leaf.

With at least 1000 mint species and more cultivars around, don't you really HATE it when you aren't given the full botanical name?!

Frankly, I refuse to buy plants which don't have the full botanical name on the label.

Here is a link that might be useful: pennyroyal
k_mommy0407
Original Author
18 years ago
Well, I did learn the lesson that you already know. No name, no buy. I posted the same question at the backyard gardener, and one of their members directed me to the University of British Columbia Botanical Gardens forum. Two people told me that they don't know what it is, but it's not pennyroyal, and one told me that it may be Satureja douglasii (yerba buena), which from my understanding is still edible, but not a menthe. Frustrations abound, but at least I'm pretty sure it's not poisonous now.
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fatamorgana2121
18 years ago
In looking at the picture I suspect that the plant looked "vine" like because it was crowded and stretching for whatever light was available. That left the plant rather spindly and not exhibiting its normal habits. The plant will probably look different after being less crowded and having access to more light. Pruning of the most spindly bits is probably best. After the plant grows a bit more you could try the ID thing again - hopefully with better success.

FataMorgana

ps...I can't tell you either what it is for sure. :) And ditto on looking for botanical name labeling!
francescod
17 years ago
It is not Satureja douglasii for sure. Not English pennyroyal either.
It could be a seed grown spearmint that has been grown in too much shade or is just otherwise weak.
Unless you are lucky, Spearmint grown from seed is inferior to the named cultivars that are propagated only from cuttings. Spearmint is extremely variable when grown from seed.
Don't bother buying peppermint seeds either. Peppermint is sterile, so what you buy as seed will probably end up being a poor spearmint.
The big boxes don't usually buy from herb experts, rather growers that are trying to expand what they offer and increase profits. You are at the mercy of their ignorance when it comes to labeling as well. Even if they use a label with all the right botanical information, it may be what is in the pot.