Meadow mint (field): photo, variety description, useful properties and contraindications

The genus Mint, which includes field mint, or meadow mint, has about two dozen independent species and about the same number of hybrids. Because of their pronounced pleasant aroma, many of these plants are used as spices. However, the range of their application is not limited to cooking. Due to the many useful properties, many types of mint, including meadow mint, are widely used in traditional medicine, as well as in cosmetology.

Description of field mint

Field mint, or meadow mint (pictured below) is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Lamiaceae family, or Lamiaceae.

Here are its main characteristics:

1. Root. Tree-like, creeping, superficial, with a small lobe of adventitious roots.
2. Stem. Sprawling, branched, straight. It is usually light green, sometimes reddish in color. It is completely covered with small hairs turned downwards, so it looks like velvety. The length of the stem of an adult plant is usually 0,5-1 m.
3. Leaves. Oval-elongated or ovate-elongated, with a sharp tip and an uneven serrated edge. Light green, with a short petiole and clearly readable veins, up to 7 cm long and up to 3,5 cm wide. On the leaves in the upper part of the plant, the petiole may be completely absent.
4. Flowers. Small, lilac, sometimes with a pinkish tint, calyx 2-4 mm, bell-shaped. The flowers are collected in whorl inflorescences on pubescent pedicels.

Flowering of meadow mint (pictured below) begins in June and continues until October.

In the place of inflorescences from August to October, coenobia ripen – fractional nut-like fruits.

Where meadow mint grows

Wild field mint has a large distribution area, covering the European part of Our Country, as well as Western and Eastern Siberia. This plant is found in Europe, the Caucasus, as well as in Central and Western Asia. The main habitats are floodplains, meadows, coastal zone of lakes, ponds, channels. Found in swampy areas.

The use of field mint in cooking

The culinary use of field mint is due to its strong specific aroma, as well as the refreshing effect that occurs in the mouth after its use. In cooking, both fresh mint greens and dried herbs are used, either alone or mixed with other spices.

What is the scent of meadow mint

Field mint has a pronounced aroma due to the large amount of essential oils that make up its composition. It contains the following aromatic substances:

1. Menthol.
2. Citral.
3. Caravan.

The aroma of field mint is a delicate smell of freshness and greenery, it is pleasant and unobtrusive.

Where can you add field mint

There are many recipes for various dishes that include mint in one form or another. Most often it is used for the following culinary purposes:

1. As a spice in the preparation of various fish and meat dishes.
2. Fresh herbs are used to decorate portions.
3. As one of the ingredients of fruit or vegetable salad.
4. For the preparation of soft drinks.
5. For home canning of berries and fruits, sometimes vegetables or mushrooms.
6. When preparing compotes, mousses, jellies or fruit drinks.
7. As an ingredient in winemaking, as well as for decorating alcoholic cocktails.

Medicinal properties of field mint

Field mint tea is not only a delicious drink with an excellent aroma. The substances contained in the plant have a lot of useful properties. Photos and descriptions of field mint, as well as methods for its preparation, can be found in many books on traditional medicine.

The use of meadow mint

Most often, for medicinal purposes, a decoction or infusion of field mint is used, less often fresh herbs are used. In the perfumery and cosmetic industry, an extract from the essential oil of mint is used – menthol. It is used for the production of medicines and hygiene products.

In folk medicine

Since ancient times, people have noticed that mint decoction has a sedative effect. In folk medicine, it is used for the following purposes:

1. Stopping the state of nervous excitement, as a sedative, relaxing and sleeping pill.
2. A decoction of mint is an antiseptic, they can wash wounds, make lotions.
3. Field mint is brewed for inhalation in the treatment of colds.
4. The decoction can be used as a means to lower blood pressure, as well as a pain reliever.
5. Mint is also used as a choleretic agent for liver diseases.
6. A decoction of mint normalizes the work of the gastrointestinal tract.
7. The mint flower, if chewed and applied to the gum, will soothe the aching tooth.

In cosmetology

The antiseptic properties of field mint decoction are widely used in cosmetology. This is an excellent hygiene product. A decoction of this herb is used as a mouthwash to improve the overall health of the gums and relieve inflammation. They wipe the skin of the face to cleanse and treat acne. Rinsing the hair with mint infusion normalizes their condition, improves their appearance, and reduces brittleness.

In pharmacology

Menthol, contained in field mint, is part of many medicines, for example, a drop of Zelenin, Validol, Valocordin, etc. The concentration of this substance in the green part of the plant can reach 2%.

According to this indicator, field mint is far from a record holder; in peppermint or menthol, the content of this substance is even higher.

Limitations and contraindications

Despite the numerous medicinal properties of field mint, it also has contraindications, so it is not recommended for certain categories of people to use it. The calming and relaxing effect of this plant negatively affects male libido, reducing desire and weakening potency. A serious contraindication to the use of field mint is low blood pressure. A decrease in the tone of the venous vessels that occurs when using an infusion or decoction leads to an exacerbation of another disease – varicose veins.

Meadow mint, despite all its beneficial properties, is contraindicated in women of reproductive age who suffer from infertility or have problems conceiving a child. It is also not recommended to use it with increased drowsiness. For young children, decoctions of meadow mint should be taken with caution, and up to 3 years it is better to exclude its use completely.

Rules of landing

Planting field mint on the site is quite simple. To do this, you need to purchase seeds or dig up part of a wild plant. For cultivation, any well-lit place with loose, breathable soil is suitable. So that the plant does not spread around the garden and does not turn into a weed, its roots must be kept from sprawling. To do this, a bed with field mint must be fenced, for example, with iron strips, dug them to a depth of 15-20 cm.

You can plant or propagate field mint in your backyard in the following ways:

1. Seeds. They can be collected in September-October from withered field mint bushes in the wild. In the spring, they can be germinated at home, and with the onset of heat, they can be planted in open ground.
2. cuttings. To do this, cut off the top of a young shoot at a height of 10-12 cm and put it in water. After about 2 weeks, the cuttings will form their own root system. When the roots grow to 2-3 cm, they are planted in beds.
3. Root cuttings. Climbing strong roots of field mint contain a large number of dormant buds. Root layers 10-12 cm long with several dormant buds are harvested in late summer or early autumn. For the winter, they can be planted in pots, and with the onset of heat, they can be transplanted into beds.
4. The division of the bush. In the wild, a whole mint bush can be dug up and transplanted to the site, but in this case it will be difficult to determine its age. With each subsequent year, the quality of mint deteriorates, the greens become coarser. Therefore, it is better to divide the bush into several parts, so that each division contains both the roots and shoots of the plant.

Peculiarities of growing

The first time after planting, the bushes should be watered regularly, but after rooting, the frequency of watering should be reduced and guided in this matter solely by the weather. Excessive moisture is more likely to harm plants. The soil must be regularly cleared of weeds and loosened to a shallow depth so as not to damage the creeping superficial roots. Field mint is undemanding for top dressing, but a small amount of fertilizer still does not hurt. In spring and summer, you can use complex mineral compounds, and from organic matter – slurry.

Field mint is a perennial plant with good frost resistance, therefore, before winter, no special measures are taken to cover it. It will be enough to cut the bushes at a height of 8-10 cm and shower them with fallen leaves.

Pests and diseases

The greatest danger to field mint is fungal diseases that develop in conditions of sharp fluctuations in temperature and high humidity. To avoid this, gardeners recommend that all harvesting activities be completed before the cold morning dews begin to fall. Here are the most common diseases of this plant:

1. Powdery mildew. A white spore coating appears on the leaves, which quickly turns black. The plant rots and dies.

   

2. Rust. Identified by the reddish-brown spore pads that mature on the underside of the leaves. Affected parts of the plant wither. The reason for the appearance of rust is often an excess of nitrogen-containing fertilizers, as well as a large amount of fresh organic matter introduced.

   

3. Verticillium wilt. Caused by soil fungi. The affected plant begins to dry and die from the upper part due to the entry of the fungus through the root system.

   

4. Septoria. It manifests itself in the form of rounded dark spots on the leaves, which grow and lead to decay of the entire plant.

   

As a preventive measure for the occurrence of fungal diseases, it is recommended that before planting field mint, deep plowing of the site, as well as treating it with a solution of Bordeaux mixture 1%.

Mint plantings can be subject to pest invasion. Here are the main ones.

1. Wireworm. Click beetle larva that lives in the ground. The wireworm looks like a tough white caterpillar with a brown head. Moving in the soil, the insect eats the roots of plants.

   

2. Medvedka. A fairly large insect that lives in the ground and feeds on plant roots.

   

3. Aphid. A microscopic insect that feeds on plant sap. Large colonies of aphids can kill plantings.

   

4. Mint flea. A bug that feeds on leaves and young shoots of a plant.

   

5. Cicadas. Small sucking insects that feed on juices.

   

The use of chemicals for pest control is undesirable. In extreme cases, this can be done, but only with large insect populations and no later than 1 month before the breaded harvest. It is much safer to use folk remedies – infusions of garlic, celandine or hot pepper.

When and how to harvest field mint

Before flowering, the concentration of aromatic substances in mint leaves reaches a maximum. This is the best time for harvesting. In many regions, this time falls around mid-July. You can harvest field mint as whole bushes, cutting and tying them in bunches, as well as individual leaves.

You can watch the mint harvesting video at the link below:

How to dry field mint

Harvested vegetable raw materials for drying should be decomposed in a dry room with good air exchange. It can be the attic of the house or a terrace, a canopy or a gazebo. At the same time, the direct rays of the sun should not fall on the leaves, in which case they will turn black and become unusable.

Cut leaves are laid out in a thin layer on sheets of plywood or cardboard. Periodically, it is necessary to control their humidity, if the layer thickness is significant, it is necessary to stir, avoiding caking, otherwise there is a high risk of mold development.

Dried field mint leaves easily break off from the stem and have a characteristic rustling. So that the plant does not lose its unique aroma, it must be stored in a closed glass container with tightly ground stoppers. You can also use earthenware or ceramic dishes with secure lids. Under such conditions, dried field mint does not lose its properties for up to six months.

Conclusion

Field mint is found in the wild quite often, so few gardeners grow it artificially. However, if necessary, it is quite easy to do so. Field mint is unpretentious, grows well even with minimal care. However, it must be remembered that the bushes grow strongly over time, capturing more and more new territories, so field mint can become a real weed without proper care.