Mint, a plant of the family Labiatae, genus Mint.

Perennial herb. Stem erect, 30 to 60 centimeters high, lower nodes with slender fibrous roots and horizontal creeping rhizomes, sharply quadrangular, four-sulcate, distally obtusely puberulent, proximally puberulent only along the ridges, much branched.

Leaf blade oblong-lanceolate, lanceolate, elliptic or ovate-lanceolate, sparsely oblong, 3 to 7 centimeters long, 0.8 to 3 centimeters wide, apex acute, base cuneate to subrounded, margin sparsely coarsely dentate serrate above the base, lateral veins ca. 5 to 6 pairs, conspicuous with the midrib in a slight depression above and conspicuously so below, green above; densely and sparsely puberulent along the remainder of the veins, or the remainder of the veins nearly glabrous, pale green above. subglabrous, light green above, usually densely puberulent along veins; petiole 2 to 10 mm long, ventrally concave-dorsally convex, puberulent.

Verticillasters axillary, globose in outline, ca. 18 mm in diam. when flowering, pedicellate or sessile, pedicels up to 3 mm long when pedicellate, puberulent; pedicels slender, 2.5 mm long, puberulent or subglabrous. Calyx tubular-campanulate, ca. 2.5 mm, outside puberulent and glandular dotted, inside glabrous, 10-veined, inconspicuous, calyx teeth 5, narrowly triangular-subulate, apex long acute, 1 mm long. Corolla pale purple, 4 mm long, outside slightly puberulent, inside surface puberulent below throat, limb 4-lobed, upper lobe apex 2-lobed, larger, remaining 3 lobes subequal, oblong, apex obtuse. Stamens 4, anterior pair longer, ca. 5 mm, all projecting beyond corolla, filaments filiform, glabrous, anthers ovoid, 2-celled, cells parallel. Style slightly exceeding stamens, apex subequally 2-lobed, lobes subulate. Disk flat-topped.

Nutlets ovoid, yellow-brown, pitted, with small glandular fossae. Flowering from July to September, fruiting in October.

Mint is highly adaptable to environmental conditions, growing at altitudes up to 2100 meters, and is found in moist places next to water at altitudes up to 3500 meters.

Temperature

The mint has a strong ability to adapt to temperature, its rhizome persistent overwintering, can withstand temperatures as low as -15 ℃. The optimal temperature for its growth is 25 ℃ to 30 ℃. Temperatures below 15 ℃ when growth is slow, higher than 20 ℃ when growth accelerated. At 20 ℃ to 30 ℃, as long as the appropriate water and fertilizer, the higher the temperature the faster the growth.

Light

The mint is a long sunshine crop, sun-loving. Long sunshine can promote the flowering of mint, and is conducive to the accumulation of mint oil and menthol.

Soil

Peppermint is not very strict on the soil requirements, except for too sandy, too viscous, too much acidity and alkalinity and low-lying poorly drained soil, the general soil can be planted to sandy loam, alluvial soil is good. Soil acidity to pH value of 6 to 7.5 is appropriate.

Mint is widely distributed in the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere, and is distributed throughout China. It is cultivated throughout China, with Jiangsu and Anhui being the traditional local production areas, but the cultivated area is decreasing.

Peppermint has both medicinal and edible functions, with the main edible parts being the stems and leaves, which can also be juiced. In food, mint can be used as a flavoring agent, but also as a spice, but also with wine, tea and so on.