Where is spearmint native to

Description: This wildflower is a herbaceous perennial about ' tall. The central stem and any lateral stems are light green to reddish green, 4-angled, and glabrous. Pairs of sessile opposite leaves occur along these stems. The elongated teeth of the margins have narrow tips that bend toward the tip of each leaf blade.

The upper surface of each leaf is medium green and glabrous; it has a wrinkled appearance because of the indentations along its veins. The lower surface of each leaf is pale to medium green and either glabrous or nearly so. The foliage of Spearmint has a moderately strong minty fragrance. The central stem and any upper lateral stems terminate in dense spikes of whorled flowers about " long.

Accessed on Thursday, 21 August Gilbert, E. Plant compounds that induce polychlorinated biphenyl biodegradation by Arthrobacter sp. Applied Environ. Chemical composition and larvicidal activity of essential oil from Mentha spicata Linn. Parasitology Research. Epub Dec 6. Xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity of the methanolic extracts of selected Jordanian medicinal plants. Pharmacognosy Magazine. Mycologia, Vol. Roumanian Archives of Microbiology and Immunology. Gingermint Mentha x gracilis.

Accessed 6 May Missouri Botanical Garden - Mentha spicata. Missouri Botanical Garden. Mentha spicata. Spearmint — Mentha spicata L. Journal of Medicinal Food. Epub Oct New Mexico State University. Nosrati, S. Alireza EsmaeilzadehHosseini, A. Sarpeleh, M. SoflaeiShahrbabak and Y. Antifungal Activity of Spearmint Mentha spicata L. Essential Oil on Fusarium oxysporum f. Inhibitory effects of various essential oils and individual components against extended-spectrum beta-lactamase ESBL produced by Klebsiella pneumoniae and their chemical compositions.

Journal of Food Science. Reznicek, A. February University of Michigan. Accessed April 27, Robert W. Freckmann Herbarium. Epub Jan State Rd. Common Name: Spearmint. It can also be used as a moth repellant 3. Spearmint is also used to mask tastes from other herbs without diminishing the effectiveness.

For example, in Mexican cultures, spearmint is added to tea with bitter rue, as a treatment for menstrual cramps, to improve flavor. The stems and essential oil from spearmint is used in folk medicine to treat cancer. In Mexico, mint is used in Albondigas 2. Spearmint is used in many Mexican herbal remedies and is regarded as gentle and comforting. In the Middle East, mint tea is often served to guests to welcome them.

In this region, mint is seen as a symbol of hospitality, which is why serving a cup of mint tea with friends, family, and guests is somewhat like a daily ritual. In Morocco, making mint tea is actually seen as a job for the men, who consider it an art form; they use special tea pots and pouring techniques. One of the plants that they plant the most is the mint.