Berries And Cream Mint

Description

Berries and Cream mint is a unique and fragrant hybrid mint developed by James Westerfield of Illinois, introduced to gardeners around 2003. Known for its sweet, fruity undertones—reminiscent of summer berries blended with a hint of vanilla cream—this cultivar offers a playful twist on traditional mint flavours. It’s perfect for use in herbal teas, fruit salads, flavoured waters, desserts, and aromatic garnishes, adding both scent and charm to the kitchen or garden.

Westerfield, an innovative horticulturist and plantsman, capitalised on the naturally promiscuous nature of mint, a genus well-known for its tendency to hybridise easily. With hundreds of mint varieties already found worldwide, Westerfield spent years cross-breeding select mints to create new cultivars with unique flavour profiles, aromas, and leaf forms. Berries and Cream was one of the most successful results of his experimentation—earning admiration for its distinctive fragrance, lush green leaves, and garden adaptability.

This variety thrives in temperate climates and grows best in full sun to partial shade with consistently moist, well-drained soil. Like all mints, it has a tendency to spread rapidly via underground rhizomes, making it ideal for container planting. Left unchecked in garden beds, it can become invasive and difficult to control, so growing it in pots or raised beds is highly recommended. The production of stolons in this hybrid is impressive – which leads me to believe that at least one of its parents is an x piperita f. citrata cultivar. Given its slight hairiness and leaf shape, I have wondered whether M. arvensis might not have been its other. Too tricky to tell with certainty – we need a genome programme!

Berries and Cream mint remains a rare and sought-after variety, typically available through a handful of specialty nurseries and seed suppliers, and most commonly found in home gardens, botanical collections, or local plant fairs. Its scarcity adds to its allure, making it a treasured cultivar for herb enthusiasts, collectors, and adventurous cooks alike.

A beautiful example of mint’s diversity, Berries and Cream showcases the creative potential of plant breeding and brings a novel sensory experience to the world of herbs.