Brush past a patch of mint on a hot afternoon and the air fills with a cool, sweet scent that seems made for July. Mint is one of the oldest and most widely loved herbs in the world, and it has a personality to match: generous, adaptable and determined to spread. Its story stretches from ancient myth to the modern porch.
A nymph named Minthe
The plant’s name traces back to Greek mythology. In one well-known version of the story, a nymph named Minthe caught the eye of Hades, ruler of the underworld. His wife, Persephone, was not pleased and transformed Minthe into a low-growing plant. Some retellings add that Hades, unable to undo the spell, gave the plant its lovely fragrance so that she would be appreciated whenever someone stepped on her. Like many myths, the details vary, but the name stuck: Mentha is still the botanical name of the mint genus.
An herb of hospitality
Mint has long been associated with welcome. In one of the Roman poet Ovid’s tales, an elderly couple named Baucis and Philemon wipe their humble table with fresh mint before serving a meal to two strangers, who turn out to be gods in disguise. The scent was part of the welcome.
That tradition of mint as hospitality continues today. Across North Africa and the Middle East, sweet mint tea, often made with green tea, fresh spearmint and sugar, is poured for guests as a sign of welcome, sometimes from a height to create a little foam in the glass. In the American South, mint has its own ceremonial drink in the mint julep, long associated with the Kentucky Derby, and a sprig of mint has garnished many a glass of sweet tea on a summer porch.
Spearmint, peppermint and their many cousins
There are many kinds of mint, and they cross easily with one another. Spearmint is the sweet, gentle mint of many teas and cocktails. Peppermint, a natural hybrid of spearmint and water mint, has a sharper, cooler bite. Gardeners can also find apple mint, chocolate mint, orange mint and others, each with its own nuance of scent.
Concentrated peppermint essential oil is a very different thing from a sprig in a glass, and it calls for careful dilution and extra caution around young children. Fresh leaves are the simplest way to enjoy the plant.
Growing mint without letting it take over
Mint spreads by underground runners and can quickly take over a bed, a lawn edge or a neighbor’s flowers. Most gardeners grow it in containers for this reason. A large pot on the patio, or a bottomless pot sunk into the ground, keeps it in its place.
- Give it partial shade in a Georgia summer, especially from the hot afternoon sun.
- Keep the soil evenly moist; mint is thirstier than many herbs.
- Pinch the tips often to encourage bushy growth, and harvest in the morning when the leaves are fresh.
- Let a few stems flower. The small blooms are a favorite of bees and other pollinators.
A single pot of mint can supply a summer’s worth of iced tea garnishes, fruit salads and fragrant handfuls to crush and breathe in on a hot afternoon. It is a small, lively companion for the hottest weeks of the year.