Wild mint is a plant quite widespread in the middle latitudes, having strong healing properties. They love to eat the plant and are widely used in the manufacture of medicines and cosmetic products. There is even a Russian music festival named after this shrub. It is still not widely known about where Wild Mint is held, but the Tula event attracts more and more attention every year.
Wild mint - what kind of plant is it
The use of wild mint is great because of its beneficial properties. An extract from this herb is used in the manufacture of cosmetic and medicinal products.
Important! Before using peppermint preparations or eating them, it is necessary to find out if there is an individual intolerance to it, since the plant has contraindications.
Wild mint is familiar to everyone
What it looks like, where it grows in nature
According to Latin, the more precise botanical name for the shrub is Mentha arvensis. The medium-sized non-spreading shrub has straight stems, but some varieties can still grow in width.
Usually, bushes have small elongated leaves with rounded or slightly pointed ends. Their edges are even, but there are varieties with a serrated edging. The plates also differ by touch and structure: there are species with velvety villi to the touch, and there are types with a smooth and glossy surface.
Flowers are located on the upper part of the stem and are usually small in size. Inflorescences are spherical and dense, after flowering give seeds.
About where mint grows in nature is not always known, so many grow a plant at home on the site. In the natural environment, wild mint plant grows in almost all the deciduous forests of the world, but its true homeland is eastern and central Asia. In the 18th century, English botanists found the plant and brought it to Europe, after which they were actively engaged in the cultivation of its varieties.
Varieties of wild mint blooming
For 2019, according to official sources, there were 25 varieties of this subspecies. Their difference between themselves is sometimes very great. The shape and size of leaves with flowers may vary, as well as the growing season.
Field mint
Among all types of mint, the description of field mint is familiar to everyone. This species is also called Lugovoi. A shrub 70 centimeters high has straight shoots on which light green leaves of a small oval shape are located.
Unlike other varieties, its flowers are in the axils between the leaves, along the entire length of the stem. They are light pink and star shaped.
Field mint does not have a sharp specific smell, like Peppermint. Due to its more pleasant taste, the plant is widely used in cooking.
Because of its smell, cats have chosen this variety
Cat mint
This species is also called catnip. A plant that is quite popular and in demand in various fields of production. It contains a high content of essential oils, which is why it rarely gets sick and does not suffer from pests.
It grows by almost 1.5 m in height, while 2/3 of the length of erect stems are occupied by evenly and densely arranged inflorescences. They consist of small light blue-violet buds.
It begins to bloom in June and continues until the last days of July.
For reference! Kotovnik grows in open meadows and attracts cats with his smell, which is why he got his name.
Fragrant mint
The fragrant variety has long flowering - almost 3 months, in the southern regions it can be even longer. The powerful root system of the bush helps it quickly adapt to new conditions after planting in open ground or transplants.
For a more accurate growth and a pleasant appearance, the crown of the plant must be regularly trimmed. Scented mint is widely used in cooking, and essential oils are also obtained from it.
Water mint
This perennial species is characterized by its high growth, almost 1 meter. On the stems standing straight, there are small villi with square sections.
Soft and small leaves are oval, their length is 5 centimeters and a width of 3 centimeters. If you squeeze them between your fingers more strongly, a spicy pleasant smell will appear. Shrub blooms in small lush inflorescences, consisting of many white and purple flowers.
For reference! Water mint is especially in demand in cooking and pharmaceuticals.
Japanese mint
The variety looks very unusual compared to other varieties. At first glance, this is a bright scarlet flower with shiny pointed leaves. It can reach a height of about 50 centimeters.
The Japanese variety has a beautiful and bright flowering
The useful properties of this bush are very large and varied, because of what it is used in cooking, cosmetology and pharmaceuticals.
Additional Information! The variety is especially popular in its homeland of Japan, where in the natural environment it grows only on 2 islands.
Forest Mint
The botanical description of the forest species, according to a common misconception, differs from meadow mint. Due to the fact that the plant grows in the forest, its height is much longer, as it stretches up to the light. But in fact, forest mint is identical in appearance with green mint.
The bush has elongated rounded leaves. Mint Forest is widely grown in agriculture, although it is freely found in meadows near forests.
It is mainly used in cooking, for the production of spices and seasonings.
What medicinal properties do wild mint varieties have?
Although the plant has varieties with different characteristics, their strong healing properties have been proven many decades ago. The plant is used in the manufacture of medicines, cosmetics, ointments.
Shrub is widely used in the production of various drugs.
Medicinal properties:
- relieving cramps and colic;
- normalization of the gastrointestinal tract;
- treatment and skin diseases;
- improvement of mental conditions;
- increasing immunity and improving the general condition of the body;
- treatment of colds;
- improved well-being with lung problems (asthma, bronchitis, tuberculosis);
- removal of toxins and excess fluid from the body;
- improving the condition and color of the skin.
Peppermint essential oil is widely used to create tonic body lotions. The most famous remedy is Botanika Myata. It is widely used in beauty salons for aromatherapy.
Wild mint has long been used as a medicine and seasoning in cooking. This plant does not lose its relevance and popularity until now, and some of its varieties even began to be grown for decorative purposes in the garden. Previously growing only in Asia, the plant has now spread to all continents of the planet.
