Spearmint - Green Mint Seeds (Mentha spicata)

🌱 Spearmint – Green Mint Seeds (Mentha spicata)

💰 Price: Package of 280 seeds (0.01 g)

🌸 🌿 Origin & History: Spearmint, scientifically known as Mentha spicata, is a widely cultivated perennial herb native to much of Europe and Asia, including the Middle East, Himalayas, and China. Over centuries, it has become naturalized across parts of Africa, North and South America, and several oceanic islands. The name “spear” mint comes from the characteristic pointed tips of its leaves. Spearmint has a long history of culinary, medicinal, and ornamental use. It has been hybridized with other mint species, producing cultivars such as peppermint (Mentha × piperita), ginger mint (Mentha × gracilis), and large apple mint (Mentha × villosa).

🌱 Plant Characteristics:
Spearmint is a rhizomatous, herbaceous perennial growing 30–100 cm tall. It has square stems typical of the mint family and variably hairy to hairless foliage. Leaves are 5–9 cm long, 1.5–3 cm wide, with serrated margins. The plant spreads vigorously through underground rhizomes, making it highly productive but potentially invasive in gardens if uncontrolled. Spearmint produces slender spikes of small flowers, pink or white, 2.5–3 mm long, which bloom primarily in summer, attracting pollinators such as bees and butterflies.

🍃 Cultivation & Care:
Spearmint is easy to grow and thrives in most temperate climates. It prefers partial shade but tolerates full sun or mostly shaded areas. Loamy, nutrient-rich soils with good drainage are ideal. Due to its aggressive growth, many gardeners cultivate spearmint in containers or planters to prevent it from overtaking garden beds. Regular watering and occasional fertilization promote vigorous foliage growth. Harvest leaves before or at peak flowering to retain optimal aroma and flavor.

🍴 Uses & Applications:
Spearmint leaves are highly versatile. They can be used fresh, dried, or frozen for culinary purposes, teas, and medicinal preparations. Traditional Moroccan tea famously uses the cultivar Mentha spicata ‘Nana’ for its pungent yet mild aroma. Spearmint is a key ingredient in drinks like mojitos, mint juleps, and flavored sweet teas in Southern United States culture. In addition to beverages, it flavors confectionery, sauces, salads, and desserts.

🌿 Essential Oil:
Spearmint produces aromatic oil rich in R-(–)-carvone, responsible for its characteristic scent, with additional compounds such as limonene, dihydrocarvone, and 1,8-cineol. Unlike peppermint oil, spearmint oil has minimal menthol content. It is widely used in toothpaste, soaps, shampoos, and other products for its refreshing aroma.

💊 Health Benefits:
Spearmint exhibits antifungal properties and may provide calming effects when used in teas or massage applications. It has traditionally been used for digestive aid, alleviating stomach discomfort, and promoting relaxation. The essential oil is non-mutagenic and safe for typical culinary and medicinal use.

🌱 Propagation & Sowing Instructions:

• Propagation: Seeds or cuttings

• Pre-Treatment: Optional soaking for 12–24 hours

• Sowing Mix: Loose, fertile soil with good drainage, optionally mixed with sand or perlite

• Germination Temperature: 18–22 °C

• Germination Time: 7–14 days

• Location: Bright, well-ventilated area; avoid waterlogging

• Watering: Keep soil evenly moist, reduce during dormancy

🌟 Why Choose Spearmint:
Spearmint is a fast-growing, aromatic, and highly versatile herb suitable for home gardens, container cultivation, and culinary or medicinal use. Its fragrant leaves, ease of cultivation, and multiple uses make it a must-have for any herb enthusiast.