Description
Thai mint is an unusual and valuable mint which is rarely offered. The spicy, minty leaves also taste of caraway and add an extra flavour level to salads, curries, soups and stews as well as a flavoursome addition to herbal teas (tisanes). In Thailand it is known as Bae Saranae and is widely used in cooking. Chewing a few leaves also acts as a breath freshener. Many claim the leaves when made into tea to treat colds or aid digestion.
The bright green leaves contrast well with the dark red stems and it bears lilac flowers throughout the summer. The flowers are attractive to pollinating insects. Thai mint dies down in the autumn and shoots again in the spring. As with all mints its is best grown in containers to prevent it becoming invasive.
A hardy plant which should survive normal winter conditions outside, especially with protection from the hardest frosts. If grown in pots it is recommended to place in a sheltered position for the winter.
More Details:
Family: Lamiaceae
Syn: Mentha arvensis ‘Thai’
Common Name: Bae Saranae, corn mint, field mint, wild mint
Native: A cultivar of Mentha arvensis which is found in temperate regions of Europe and western and central Asia, east to the Himalaya and eastern Siberia and North America
Height x Spread: 30cm x 60cm (12″ x 24″)
Soil Type: Moist
Soil pH: Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Aspect: Sunny
UK Hardiness: Hardy
Flowering Time: July, August, September
Flower Colour: Lilac
Foliage Colour: Green
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