Mentha suaveolens Ehrh.

[UNAL]

Bernal, R., G. Galeano, A. Rodríguez, H. Sarmiento y M. Gutiérrez. 2017. Nombres Comunes de las Plantas de Colombia. http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/

Vernacular: yerbabuena

[CPLC]

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution: Naturalizada y adventicia en Colombia; Alt. 2000 - 3900 m.; Andes.
Morphology General Habit: Hierba
Conservation: Preocupación Menor

[UPFC]

Distribution: Biogeografic region: Andean. Elevation range: 2000–3900 m a.s.l. Naturalised in Colombia. Colombian departments: Antioquia, Bogotá DC, Boyacá, Caldas, Cauca, Cundinamarca, Nariño, Quindío, Santander.
Habit: Herb.
Conservation: IUCN Red List Assessment (2021): LC.
Ecology: Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland, savanna, shrubland, artificial - terrestrial.

[KSP]

Kew Species Profiles

General Description

A vigorous, aromatic perennial native to southern and western Europe, apple mint is grown as a culinary herb and ornamental.

A member of the mint family (Lamiaceae), apple mint is an aromatic herb with a fruity, spearmint flavour. Also known by the common name round-leaved mint, Mentha suaveolens is often misnamed M. rotundifolia in cultivation. Apple mint is cultivated as a culinary herb and is used in the production of mint sauce and jelly.

Species Profile

Geography and distribution

Apple mint is native to southern and western Europe and is also naturalised in northern and central Europe.

Description

Overview: A creeping, aromatic (apple-scented), perennial herb growing 40-100 cm tall. The stems are sparsely to densely hairy.

Leaves: The hairy, wrinkly leaves are 3.0-4.5 × 2.0-4.0 cm with toothed margins.

Flowers: Pink to white flowers are produced in dense terminal spikes (each consisting of many false whorls), 4-9 cm long.

Uses:

Apple mint leaves are used to make mint sauce and jelly, which are commonly served alongside lamb, tzatziki and tabbouleh. Leaves can be candied and also used for flavouring in herb teas and iced drinks. Apple mint leaves are hairy, and hence considered less suitable for use as a garnish than those of Mentha spicata (spearmint).

Commonly cultivated as a pot plant and culinary herb, apple mint is an invasive plant and must be kept in check if grown in open ground. The attractive cultivar Mentha suaveolens 'Variegata' (pineapple mint) has creamy-white streaked leaves and a sweet and fruity fragrance.

Millennium Seed Bank: Seed storage

The Millennium Seed Bank Partnership aims to save plant life worldwide, focusing on plants under threat and those of most use in the future. Seeds are dried, packaged and stored at a sub-zero temperature in our seed bank vault.

Four collections of apple mint seeds are held in Kew's Millennium Seed Bank based at Wakehurst in West Sussex.

This species at Kew

Apple mint can be seen growing in the Queen's Garden behind Kew Palace.

Pressed and dried specimens of Mentha suaveolens are held in Kew's Herbarium, where they are available to researchers by appointment. The details of some of these specimens can be seen online in Kew's Herbarium Catalogue.

Ecology

Damp or wet habitats.

Conservation

Not assessed according to IUCN Red List criteria.

Hazards

None known.

[UPB]

The Useful Plants of Boyacá project

Ecology: Alt. 2000 - 3900 m.
Morphology General Habit: Herb.
Distribution: Introduced and naturalised in Colombia.
Conservation: Least concern.

[UPFC]

Use Environmental: Environmental uses.
Use Gene Sources: Used as gene sources.
Use Food: Used for food.
Use Medicines: Medical uses.

[KSP]

Use: Culinary herb, ornamental.

[UPB]

Use Environmental: Environmental uses (State of the World's Plants 2016).
Use Gene Sources: Crop wild relatives which may possess beneficial traits of value in breeding programmes (State of the World's Plants 2016).
Use Food: Food (State of the World's Plants 2016).

Native to:

Algeria, Azores, Baleares, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canary Is., Corse, East Aegean Is., France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Italy, Madeira, Morocco, Netherlands, Portugal, Sardegna, Sicilia, Spain, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkey-in-Europe

Introduced into:

Alabama, Arizona, Austria, Belarus, California, Central European Rus, Chile North, Colombia, Comoros, Connecticut, Czechoslovakia, Delaware, Denmark, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Ireland, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Mexico Central, Mexico Southwest, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, New Zealand North, New Zealand South, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Poland, Romania, South Carolina, Sweden, Texas, Washington, Yugoslavia

English: Apple mint