Mentha × piperita var. vulgaris

RHS Plant Profile
black mint

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Herbs - Culinary Herbaceous Perennial
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A herbaceous perennial which dies down over winter, with slightly hairy green leaves held in pairs on a dark purplish stem. The flowers are small, pale mauve, and grow in ball-shaped clusters forming a spike in late summer. There are numerous cultivated selections with a range of minty scents from chocolate to lemon

Position

Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Poorly–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H5

Colour & Scent

Fragrance Foliage
Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Lamiaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Bushy
Genus
Mentha are aromatic, rhizomatous perennials with opposite, toothed leaves and small tubular flowers in spikes of whorls in summer
Name Status
Unresolved

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in a poor, moist soil in full sun. Grow in moist but well drained soil in full or partial sun. May have the potential to become a nuisance; restrict the root run in a deep container and plunge into the ground, or plant in a well chosen site where it can grow unrestricted. See mint cultivation for more information

Propagation

Propagate by division or by cuttings at any time of year

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Wildlife gardens

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free