Mint



The true Mints are perennial herbs in the family Lamiaceae. They are used to flavor food, candy, teas, breath fresheners, antiseptic mouth rinses, and toothpaste. All of them are included in the genus Mentha (In common usage, just about any plant with fragrant leaves may be erroneously called a mint).

The underlying minty scent is due to menthol. Mints are generally vigorous, spreading plants that tolerate a wide range of conditions. There are hundreds of varieties but only fifteen are common. Seven of these varieties are from Australia, the others are Eurasian.