Mentha × wirtgeniana
| Mentha × wirtgeniana | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Lamiaceae |
| Genus: | Mentha |
| Species: | M. × wirtgeniana
|
| Binomial name | |
| Mentha × wirtgeniana F.W.Schultz[1]
| |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
Mentha × wirtgeniana, known as tall mint, is a hybrid mint species within the genus Mentha, native to Europe.[1][3] It was first described in 1854.[1]
Description
Mentha × wirtgeniana is a perennial plant that can grow up to about 1 metre tall.[2]
Taxonomy
Mentha × wirtgeniana was first described by Friedrich Wilhelm Schultz in 1854. It was later often treated as a variety or subspecies of Mentha × rubra, but is accepted as a full hybrid species by Plants of the World Online as of November 2025.[1] It is a hybrid between M. spicata (spearmint) and M. × verticillata,[4] itself a hybrid between M. aquatica and M. arvensis,[5] and often arises spontaneously in the presence of both parents.[4][2]
Distribution
Mentha × wirtgeniana is native to Europe from France to Romania. It has been introduced elsewhere, including Great Britain and Ireland, Greece, Cape Verde, and Nova Scotia.[1]
Cultivation and uses
It is a moderately cold-hardy, fast-growing, plant, able to tolerate temperatures down to around -20°C when fully dormant.[2]
This hybrid is occasionally cultivated in European gardens, displayed for aromatic purposes, though it has a low essential oil content.[2]
References
- ^ a b c d e "Mentha × wirtgeniana F.W.Schultz | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 29 November 2025.
- ^ a b c d e "Mentha × wirtgeniana - Useful Temperate Plants". temperate.theferns.info. Retrieved 30 November 2025.
- ^ "Tall Mint (Hybrid Mentha × wirtgeniana)". iNaturalist United Kingdom. Retrieved 29 November 2025.
- ^ a b "Mentha aquatica x arvensis x spicata = M. x smithiana".
- ^ "Mentha × verticillata L." Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 30 November 2025.