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A wide variety of plants growing in the Medieval Herb Garden on a sunny day

Medieval herb garden blog 89: Spearmint

Thursday, September 24, 2026

Week 89 volunteer update

This week was the start of major cutting back! Kim gave the prostrate rosemary a haircut and then prepared it for later use in potpourri pouches. Carole cut-back the tansy, motherwort, goat’s rue, alecost, and dug up some viper’s bugloss.

Towards the top of the Medieval Herb Garden, Carole then cut back some of the mugwort, wormwood and Russian tarragon. This enabled the southernwood and the crab apple tree to finally see the daylight.

Unfortunately, cutting back has uncovered all the weeds that have been hiding in the undergrowth. Well, that’s a job for another day!

$A small crab apple tree growing in the Medieval Herb Garden at Pontefract Castle. The ground around it has been cleared. It is in fruit.$

Surprise! The crab apple tree in the MHG has been freed due to cutting back other plants.

Plant of the week: Spearmint (mentha spicata)

The name 'spearmint' comes from 'spear', because of the shape of its leaves, and 'mint'.

Its scientific name has the Latin 'mentha' which comes from the Ancient Greek 'mínthē' (μίνθη). This is the ancient name for the mint plant, while 'spicata' comes from the Latin 'spicatus'. This means 'spike-bearing', referring to spearmint's characteristic spike-like clusters of flowers.

In 1568 it was written 'Spere Mynte'.

Its other common names are garden mint, common mint, green pea mint, lamb mint, mackerel mint, Mary's herb, sage of Bethlehem, Our Lady's mint, green mint, and spire mint.

Native to Europe and Southern Asia, the Romans introduced spearming to Great Britain. Spearmint is a very hardy, rhizomatous, aromatic, perennial, flowering, herbaceous plant. It grows to a height of 3 ft (90 cm) with an almost indeterminate width due to its spreading roots. It will grow in any moist but well-drained soil, in full sun to partial shade, in any aspect.

The stem is square-shaped. Its leaves are simple, opposite and decussate (crisscrossed or cutting each other like the shape of the Roman numeral X). They are usually about 1.5 to 3.25 inches long and 0.5 to 1.25 inches wide. They are generally ovate to lanceolate, with a pointed tip and serrated edges. The leaves have short petioles, usually about 0.25 to 0.75 inches long.

Spearmint flowers from July to September. The flowers are small, approximately 0.124 to 0.25 inches long and are usually pale lilac, pink or whitish. They appear in dense, elongated spikes, about 1.25 to 3.25 inches long, at the ends of the stems.

Spearmint has a spreading fibrous root system with underground rhizomes. The roots are generally fine while the rhizomes are thicker. These rhizomes grow outwards, often leaving the centre of the clump bare or dead. The clump of spearmint should be dug up, divided and replanted every three years. Doing this brings the outward growing rhizomes back to the middle of the clump.

The seeds are small nutlets, generally around 1/32 to 1/16 inch long and less than 1/32 inch wide. They are usually brownish when mature.

Spearmint in flower in the Medieval Herb Garden.

Culinary uses of spearmint

Fresh spearmint leaves can be added to lamb, pork and poultry dishes. They can also be used to make mint sauce which is traditionally served with roast lamb.

Chopped leaves are commonly added to peas, potatoes, carrots, beans, and green, tomato, and grain salads.

Fresh leaves can also flavour fruit salads, ice cream, sorbets, chocolate desserts and cakes. They can also be used to flavour herbal infusions, lemonades and other cold drinks, and might be used as a garnish .

Spearmint is frequently used in Indian, South Asian and Middle Eastern cuisines. It can be found in dishes such as biriyani, pilaf, raita, chutney, tabbouleh, and mint teas.

It is an ingredient in several cocktails, such as the mojito and mint julep.

Use of spearmint as a dye plant

Spearmint leaves usually produce pale yellow-green, yellow, olive or khaki-green shades.

Folklore and other facts about spearmint

In Greek mythology, Menthe was a nymph who was loved by Hades. Because his wife Persephone was jealous, she turned Menthe into a mint plant. Hades was unable to reverse the curse and so instead he blessed Menthe. His blessing gave her a sweet, enduring fragrance that becomes stronger when the leaves are brushed or walked on. Possibly related to this myth, mint was associated with funeral practices in Ancient Greece.

In Ancient Athens, where every part of the body was perfumed with a different scent, mint was especially used on the arms. They also rubbed dining tables with spearmint to welcome guests.

In medieval Europe, spearmint was strewn across floors as walking on it released a clean scent. The scent 'rejoiced the heart of man' and masked unpleasant smells.

Spearmint produces a cooling sensation. This is because compounds in mint interact with cold-sensitive receptors in the mouth, particularly TRPM8 receptors. These receptors normally respond to low temperatures. However, mint compounds can activate them even when the temperature has not decreased. As a result, the brain interprets the sensation as coolness.

Mice don’t like the smell of spearmint, either fresh or dried.

Spearmint essential oil has had success as a larvicide against mosquitoes and insecticide against adult moths.

Spearmint may be susceptible to the Sage Leafhopper 'Eupteryx melissae', Ligurian Leafhopper 'Eupteryx decemnotata' and the Blue Mint Beetle 'Chrysolina coerulans'.

Spearmint can also be affected by several fungal diseases. These include mint rust, caused by the fungus 'Puccinia menthae', and powdery mildew from the 'Erysiphaceae' family.

Medieval medicinal uses of spearmint*

Spearmint is another plant which apparently cures a host of ailments. Historically, spearmint leaves were commonly prepared as infusions, poultices and other herbal preparations.

It was traditionally used to relieve indigestion, cholic, intestinal spasms, stomach ache, flatulence, nausea and vomiting. Spearmint was also used to relieve hiccoughs, bee and wasp stings, rabies and gonorrhoea.

Mint infusions were traditionally taken for coughs, colds, sore throats and for relieving fevers. Toothache, mouth problems, headaches, nervous tension and menstrual discomfort could all be treated using mint infusions.

Crushed leaves or preparations made from the plant were sometimes applied externally to minor skin irritations and itching.

However, concentrated spearmint essential oil can irritate the skin or cause an allergic reaction. Large quantities of spearmint may cause nausea, stomach discomfort or diarrhoea.

*Needless to say, this isn't to be considered medical advice from us to you today! No herbs mentioned in these blogs should be used as medicine without advice from a doctor.

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