Water Mint Mentha aquatica

Unavailable in 2024

Shore plants, like watermint, are important for erosion control, food sources, animal habitat and simple waterline beauty. What is watermint? Growing watermint around the pond will add fragrance in the summer blooming season and attract butterflies and pollinating insects. The midsummer blooms are caps of tiny florets amassed into a larger flower in deep hues of purple to blue, creating a beautiful effect.

It has thick dark green leaves tinged with purple, deeply veined and slightly hairy. Like all mints, this plant spreads with long runners, which root at nodes and create daughter plants. It has the tendency to become invasive, so plant in a container to prevent invasive growth.

Watermint plants have topical medicinal properties as a balm for sore muscles and an aid for cleaning wounds. The oils in the leaves add flavor to cooking and baking and leaves add a bright zing to salads. You can dry the leaves for use as a tea, which aids in digestion and calms ulcers.