Japanese Mint – Menthol-Rich Cooling Mint

£5.95

Japanese Mint (Mentha arvensis var. piperascens) has narrow, bright green leaves and a flavour that is intensely cool and menthol-rich. Supplied as a healthy plant in a 9cm pot, it is easy to grow in a pot on the patio, by the kitchen door or on a windowsill.

Product Highlights

One of the most menthol-rich mints
A refreshing, cooling scent
Perfect for pots, where it stays neat and contained
Hardy perennial that returns every year
Flowers loved by bees and butterflies

What You Receive

1 healthy, established Japanese Mint plant in a 9cm pot
Grown and packed with care in the UK

How to Use It

Use sparingly in teas, cooling drinks, Asian dishes and desserts; a little goes a long way.

Folklore & Fascinating Facts

Japanese mint has one of the highest natural menthol contents of any mint and is grown commercially as a source of natural menthol.
In Greek myth, the nymph Minthe was turned into a mint plant by the jealous Persephone; Hades gave her a sweet scent so she would never be forgotten.

Botanical name: Mentha arvensis var. piperascens

Common name: Japanese Mint

Life cycle: Hardy herbaceous perennial

Height: 30–60cm

Spread: Spreads by runners; best contained

Flowers: Lilac, in whorls along the stems, July to September

Flavour: Intensely cool and menthol-rich

Position: Full sun or partial shade

Soil: Moist but well-drained

Suitable for containers: Yes

Suitable for beginners: Yes

Pollinator value: High

Planting

Location: Full sun or partial shade in moist but well-drained soil.

Planting time: Spring to early autumn, avoiding frozen ground.

Containers: Use a pot at least 20–30cm across with multi-purpose compost. Repot or divide every 2–3 years to keep plants vigorous.

Care

Watering: Keep moist, especially in pots during summer. Mint does not like to dry out.

Feeding: A light liquid feed every few weeks in summer, especially for pot-grown plants.

Pruning: Pick regularly and cut back after flowering for a fresh flush of leaves. Cut down to the ground in late autumn.

Harvesting & Storage

Harvesting: Pick leaves and shoot tips from spring to autumn. The flavour is best just before flowering.

Storage: Use fresh, freeze chopped leaves in ice-cube trays, or dry in bunches somewhere warm and airy.

UK Growing Conditions

Fully hardy in the UK. Mint dies back in winter and regrows in spring. Mint spreads by underground runners, so grow it in a pot, or in a bottomless bucket sunk into the ground, to keep it contained.

Culinary Uses

Use sparingly in teas, cooling drinks, Asian dishes and desserts; a little goes a long way.

Wildlife & Garden Benefits

Mint flowers attract bees, butterflies and hoverflies, and the fragrant leaves release their scent whenever you brush past.

Plants: Plants are carefully packed and normally dispatched within 2–4 working days. Some plants may be delivered at the most appropriate time for planting or potting on.

Seeds and garden supplies: Seeds and garden supplies are normally dispatched within 2–4 working days.

Seasonal items: Bulbs, bare-root plants, trees and other seasonal products may be dispatched at the appropriate planting time to support successful establishment.