Wintergreen...

[patandchickens]

A lady on freecycle just gave me some spearmint last night-wow the smell is so strong. I am amazed. I hope it roots in. Wondering how it compares to wintergreen?

Heh. It will root in all right...

Spearmint (a herbaceous perennial in the mint family) is totally unrelated to wintergreen (Gaultheria somethingorother, a low woody plant in the heather family).

Spearmint prefers part shade and moist soil but quite frankly unless you live in a desert or at the bottom of a lake, it will probably do pretty well *anywhere* on your property. Better, in fact, than you necessarily want it to. Spearmint, like all other mints, will take over your yard, your driveway, your house and your dog unless vigorously chopped back on a frequent basis Unless you reallllllly want mint as a weed throughout your property, it is a good idea to plant it in a bottomless 18"+ deep container (it will still escape a bit, but little enough that you can keep up with it).

I *love* spearmint, though, and would not discourage anyone from growing it It is very very good in iced tea, or in threadlike slivers in fruit salad, or small whole leaves in a mixed green salad, or things like that.

Pat

 

[robbobbin]

Thanks for the info Pat-I know I could have googled it but much simpler here.
I have cat mint growing in my yard, wild. I have found if you remove the flower heads before seeding-then it comes back much less the next year. But I like the spreading-I have 3acres/wildlife habitat-so sow like crazy!

 

[freshfood]

I'm sure my upstate NY home has the right environment for wintergreen, but I've never found any...maybe because I don't know what I'm looking for! Does anyone have a photo of it, a good enough one that's it's recognizable? I've tried several books but haven't found a really good photo yet.