Herb
Mentha spicata
A tier
Mentha spicata is the botanical species entry for spearmint—sweet carvone-dominant mint chemistry underlying culinary spearmint cultivars and many named garden mints. Recipes naming M. spicata want spearmint character, not peppermint candy menthol. Verify live plants; mint mislabelling is common in nurseries.
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Unit
Characteristics
Preparations
DriedFreshGarnishInfusedSauceTeaTorn
Traits
BotanicalCoolCulinaryFreshHerbalSpearmint SpeciesSweetSweet Mint
History
Linnaean botany recorded Mentha spicata.
Horticulture selected diverse M. spicata garden forms.
Essential oil industries distilled M. spicata for spearmint oil.
Culinary herb trade moved M. spicata as fresh spearmint.