Mountain mint is native to America. It is a member of the mint family (Lamiaceae) just like peppermint, spearmint, apple mint, polei mint, deer mint, catnip and lavender. It is a beautiful summer flowering plant with white flowers. The leaves are grey-green, narrow and slightly hairy, but not as hairy as the leaves of apple mint. This plant is great for any kind of garden, formal borders, herb garden and naturalised garden. It makes a nice combination with liatris spicata, amsonia “Blue Ice”, soapwort, thyme, rudbekia hirta, Lesser prairie grass, Beardgrass, Agastache rugosa “Blue Fortune'Aster novi belgii 'Marie Ballard”, Echinops bannaticus “Taplow Blue”, Eupatorium mac. 'Atropurpureum', big cat's tail and Nepeta “Grol”. Despite its name Mountain mint, this plant is not found in the mountains in nature, but on the prairie. Give this non-evergreen, perennial, hardy plant especially a spot in full sun. Never let it dry out and, especially during drought, give it plenty of water.
The leaves of this plant smell deliciously of fresh mint. The leaves and flowers of this plant are great for making herbal tea. Also delicious in salads, stews, oven dishes, soups, sauces, omelettes and all other dishes in which you use mint. After flowering, the plant can be cut back to the bottom. Dry the cut leaves to preserve them. Dry the stalks hanging from the ceiling in a sunny room with good ventilation. Drying can take 2 - 3 weeks. After drying, the leaves can be crumbled. Store this crumbled leaf in a plastic or glass container with a lid. Store the containers in a dry, frost-free and dark room. In this way, the leaf can be kept for up to 12 months. It is also possible to freeze the leaf. This way, the leaves can also be kept for up to 12 months. In a harsh winter, protect this plant with mulch against frost. Give this plant a sunny, sheltered spot with well-drained soil. Can also be grown in pots or e.g. balcony boxes. This plant is very popular with bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects. It flowers from July - September. Non evergreen plant. Hardy perennial. Height: 50 - 70 cm.
Indoor sowing: April - May
Outdoor sowing: May - July
Germination: 12 - 21 days
Germination temp.: 18 - 22 °C
Sowing depth: ½ - 1 cm
Planting distance: 30 - 45 cm
Plant position: sunny
Harvesting period: June - September
Indoor sowing can be done from the beginning of April. Sow in separate pots (approx. 8 cm Ø) filled with moist potting soil. Sow max. 10 - 15 seeds per pot. Cover the seeds with a little potting soil. Do this by carefully sifting some soil with a sieve. Ensure an even germination temperature and don't let the temperature drop, especially at night. Keep the seedlings well moist by gently spraying it with a plant spray. This ensures that the fine seeds are not disturbed. Once the seedlings emerge, you can put the pots away cooler (15 - 18 °C). From the beginning of May, place the pots outside during the day for about 10 - 14 days to let them get used to the outside temperature. After this, you can place the plants outside in a sunny spot with good drainage.
Sow outdoors from mid-May, as soon as there is no more chance of night frost. Sow sparingly and cover the seeds with a thin layer of sowing soil. Provide a sunny spot with good drainage. As mint can be very proliferative, it is wise to sow in pots or in sealed containers. You can also use plastic pots from which the bottom has been cut. Mint makes few demands on the type of soil in which it is sown, but good drainage is important. You can also sow and keep mint in pots indoors so that fresh mint is always at hand when cooking.
