Back

Mentha arvensis L.

Family Name:	Lamiaceae (Labiatae)
Common Name:	Corn Mint, European Corn Mint, Wild Mint, Field Mint, Japanese Peppermint, Tule Mint, Brook Mint, 野薄荷, 日本薄荷

Full Sun

Semi Shade

Moderate Water

Butterfly-Attracting Plant

Herb or Spice

Fragrant Plant

Shallow Media

Herbaceous Plant

Name

Family Name
Genus Epithet
Species Epithet
Name Authority
Name Status (botanical)
Common Names
Comments

Classifications and Characteristics

Plant Division	Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon)
Plant Growth Form	Herbaceous Plant
Lifespan (in Singapore)	Perennial

Mode of Nutrition	Autotrophic
Maximum Height	0.5 m to 1 m

Biogeography

Native Distribution	Europe to Siberia and Nepal
Native Habitat	Terrestrial (Temperate Forest, Riverine)
Preferred Climate Zone	Temperate

Description and Ethnobotany

Others - Plant Morphology	Growth Form: Herbaceous perennial that grows from a rhizome (underground horizontal stem). Habitat: Occurs on moist soil in meadows and near the edge of forests or streams.Foliage: Opposite arrangement of leaves (1.5 - 5 cm long). Leaves green and ovate or elliptic, having a serrate leaf margin. Flowers: Small, light purple or white flowers (0.3 – 0.6 cm long) occur in whorls (1 – 2 cm wide). Flowers campanulate (shaped like bells, but petals slightly separating at the bottom) and located in the leaf axils (between the base of the leaf and adjacent stem). Fruits: Brown fruits are nutlets each containing a single seed. Nutlets are formed when the seed-bearing structure fragments into one-seeded pieces.Landscaping: Grown in herb gardens or containers. Can be grown indoors or outdoors.Cultivation: Tolerates a wide range of soil types from sandy to clay soils and from acidic to alkaline soils. However, it does not tolerate saline soils. Grows best in soils that are slightly acidic. The plant is not drought tolerant. Has spreading roots that may cause the plant to dominate and take over an area. Put outdoor plants in a pot placed in the soil to prevent excessive growth. For maximum production of essential oils, grow the plant under full sun. Propagation: Propagate by seeds, stem cuttings or division. Seeds do not require cold stratification (i.e., soaking them in water and placing at cold temperature before planting) to germinate.Etymology: The genus name “Mentha” comes from a Greek myth about a nymph named “Minthe” (also known as Menthe) who became Pluto’s mistress. Pluto’s jealous wife transformed Minthe into a mint plant. Caution: Consumption of large quantities of the plant’s essential oil may induce an abortion.
Ethnobotanical Uses	Edible Plant Parts : Edible Leaves Food (Herb or Spice) Others: Food: The leaves may be eaten raw in salads or used to make tea. The essential oils are used to flavor desserts. Medicine: American Indians used the leaves to prepare medicine for kidney diseases. Other: The mint fragrance is a repellant for insects and rodents. Some granaries place the leaves near the grain to deter rodents from eating them.

Others - Plant Morphology

Growth Form: Herbaceous perennial that grows from a rhizome (underground horizontal stem). Habitat: Occurs on moist soil in meadows and near the edge of forests or streams.Foliage: Opposite arrangement of leaves (1.5 - 5 cm long). Leaves green and ovate or elliptic, having a serrate leaf margin. Flowers: Small, light purple or white flowers (0.3 – 0.6 cm long) occur in whorls (1 – 2 cm wide). Flowers campanulate (shaped like bells, but petals slightly separating at the bottom) and located in the leaf axils (between the base of the leaf and adjacent stem). Fruits: Brown fruits are nutlets each containing a single seed. Nutlets are formed when the seed-bearing structure fragments into one-seeded pieces.Landscaping: Grown in herb gardens or containers. Can be grown indoors or outdoors.Cultivation: Tolerates a wide range of soil types from sandy to clay soils and from acidic to alkaline soils. However, it does not tolerate saline soils. Grows best in soils that are slightly acidic. The plant is not drought tolerant. Has spreading roots that may cause the plant to dominate and take over an area. Put outdoor plants in a pot placed in the soil to prevent excessive growth. For maximum production of essential oils, grow the plant under full sun. Propagation: Propagate by seeds, stem cuttings or division. Seeds do not require cold stratification (i.e., soaking them in water and placing at cold temperature before planting) to germinate.Etymology: The genus name “Mentha” comes from a Greek myth about a nymph named “Minthe” (also known as Menthe) who became Pluto’s mistress. Pluto’s jealous wife transformed Minthe into a mint plant. Caution: Consumption of large quantities of the plant’s essential oil may induce an abortion.

Ethnobotanical Uses

Edible Plant Parts : Edible Leaves
Food (Herb or Spice)
Others: Food: The leaves may be eaten raw in salads or used to make tea. The essential oils are used to flavor desserts. Medicine: American Indians used the leaves to prepare medicine for kidney diseases. Other: The mint fragrance is a repellant for insects and rodents. Some granaries place the leaves near the grain to deter rodents from eating them.

Landscaping Features

Desirable Plant Features	Fragrant (Foliage, Flowers) (Time Independent)
Landscape Uses	Container Planting
Thematic Landscaping	Economic Garden

Usage Hazard - Cons Remarks

Consumption of large quantities of the plant’s essential oil may induce abortions in pregnant women. Grows aggressively and may dominate an area.

Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal

Fauna Pollination Dispersal Associated Fauna	Butterfly-Attracting
Pollination Method(s)	Biotic (Fauna) (Insects (Butterfly, Moth))
Seed or Spore Dispersal	Abiotic

Plant Care and Propagation

Light Preference	Full Sun, Semi-Shade
Water Preference	Moderate Water
Rootzone Tolerance	Easy to Grow, Fertile Loamy Soils, Well-Drained Soils, Waterlogged Soils (Drains Site), Acidic (low pH) Soils, Alkaline high pH Soils, Shallow Media

Maintenance Requirements	Low
Potential Problems	Aggresive growth can overtake a garden plot.
Propagation Method	Seed, Stem Cutting, Division

Foliar

Mature Foliage Colour(s)	Green
Mature Foliage Texture(s)	Smooth
Foliar Type	Simple / Unifoliate

Foliar Arrangement Along Stem	Opposite
Foliar Shape(s)	Non-Palm Foliage (Ovate, Elliptical)
Foliar Venation	Pinnate / Net
Foliar Margin	Serrate / Toothed
Foliar Apex - Tip	Acute
Foliar Base	Acute, Rounded / Obtuse
Typical Foliar Area	Microphyll ( 2.25cm2 - 20.25 cm2 )

Non - Foliar and Storage

Stem Type & Modification	Herbaceous
Root Type	Underground (Tap Root)

Floral (Angiosperm)

Flower & Plant Sexuality	Bisexual Flowers
Flower Colour(s)	Purple, White
Flower Symmetry	Radial

Individual Flower Shape	Campaulate / Bell-shaped
Flower Size - Remarks	3 - 6 mm
Inflorescence Type	Verticel
Flowering Opening Time	Daytime
Flowering Habit	Polycarpic

Fruit, Seed and Spore

Mature Fruit Colour(s)	Brown
Fruit Classification	Simple Fruit
Fruit Type	Indehiscent Dry Fruit , Nut / Nutlet

Image Repository

Images

Others

Master ID	30130
Species ID	4439
Flora Disclaimer	The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes.