Ginger Mint

Description

Spice up your garden with the zesty charm of Ginger Mint (Mentha × gracilis ‘variegata’, aka erroneously as x gentilis ), a naturally occurring hybrid where cornmint (Mentha arvensis) meets spearmint (Mentha spicata) across Europe and Asia. With gold-flecked green leaves, a fresh spearmint flavour, and a hint of spicy ginger, this variety is as visually striking as it is aromatically unique.

In North America, this mint gained fame under the name Scotch Spearmint after it was discovered growing in a Wisconsin garden in 1908, believed to have originated from Scotland. It quickly became a backbone of the American mint oil industry, flavouring everything from chewing gum to toothpaste, and remains the traditional taste of British Scotchmint candies. By 1990, commercial cultivation had even expanded into Alberta and Saskatchewan.

There’s been some historical confusion around names and appearances: though Ginger Mint is sometimes referred to as ‘Scotch Spearmint’, ‘American Apple Mint’, or ‘Red Mint’, not all plants bearing those names are the same. For example, Richters’ ‘Scotch Spearmint’ has no variegation, while the ‘Variegata’ cultivar — featured here — is easily identified by its striking cream-yellow patches, seeming to light up the veins of the green leaves; it also sometimes boasts maroon stems, and of course it has tiny lilac flowers blooming along its upright stalks.

Culinarily, Ginger Mint excels. It’s a brilliant addition to fruit salads (especially with melon), works beautifully in teas, and is used fresh in Vietnamese pho, adding brightness to the broth. Medicinally, it’s been used to treat headaches, digestive complaints, and fevers, and its scent is said to repel rodents, making it a traditional choice for grain storage.

Like all mints, Ginger Mint is vigorous — potentially invasive — so it’s wise to contain it in pots or sunken planters. Thriving in cool, shady areas, it’s ideal for underplanting in semi-shaded gardens or herb beds.

Whether you’re a cook, a herbalist, or a collector of rare and culturally rich varieties, Ginger Mint ‘Variegata’ offers botanical intrigue, culinary versatility, and garden beauty in one hardy, aromatic package.