Is Mint a Perennial Root Plant? A Detailed Explanation of Mint's Perennial Habits

Flowers & Gardening Jan 1, 1970By Emily Carter 0 views

Mint is a perennial herbaceous plant with a perennial root system. Its aliases are "wild mint" and "yexixiang," and it also has a local name, "yindancao." Mint is most widely distributed in the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. In China, its cultivation areas are mainly concentrated in Jiangsu and Anhui provinces, but the cultivated area has decreased compared with before.

Aliases of Mint

Mint's aliases are "wild mint" and "yexixiang," and it also has a local name, "yindancao."

Morphological Characteristics of Mint

Mint has upright stems about 30-60 cm tall. The lower part of the plant has slender fibrous roots and horizontal rhizomes, and fine soft hairs grow on both the upper and lower parts, with many branches.

Mint leaves are generally round (oval) and lanceolate (ovate), and some are sparsely oblong, pointed at the front and round at the back, with relatively coarse serrations along the edges.

Mint flowers have a spherical outline, about 18 mm in diameter. The corolla is light purple, about 4 mm long, and also has fine soft hairs on the outside like the stems. The petals are oblong.

Mint's yellow-brown fruit is shaped like an ovate bead.

Growth Habits of Mint

Mint has a relatively strong ability to adapt to the environment. Wild mint mostly grows by the water in moist places, and can grow below an altitude of 2100 m, and at most can grow at an altitude of 3500 m.

Because it is a perennial root plant, it can survive the winter through its persistent rhizomes, and a low temperature of -15°C will not kill it; if the temperature is between 20-30°C and water and fertilizer are supplied normally, its growth accelerates as the temperature rises.

Mint needs sufficient sunlight, which is beneficial to its flowering.

Its adaptability to soil is also relatively strong. Sandy soil and alluvial soil are most suitable, and second, the soil's drainage performance should be good.

Value and Uses of Mint

Edible value: The main edible parts of mint are the stems and leaves, and it can also be juiced. Mint can not only be used for seasoning, but also as a spice, and can also be brewed as tea and mixed into drinks.

Medicinal value: Mint has a long history of use as traditional Chinese medicine. The whole plant can be used as medicine, and it has a good effect on treating conditions such as cold and fever, headache, muscle pain, and incomplete eruption of measles.

The Flower Language of Mint

Because of its incomparably fresh fragrance, mint symbolizes "noble virtue."