How many kinds of mint are there? How to plant and maintain?

According to the color of stems and the shape of leaves, mint can be divided into two types: purple stems and purple veins and green stems.

Purple vein of mint purple stem: the stem is purple in seedling stage, purple or lavender in the middle and lower part of the stem in middle and late stage, and cyan in the upper part. The leaves are oval in seedling stage and long in middle and late stage. Veins are purple in seedling stage, obviously purple in middle and lower leaves and light green in upper leaves. At seedling stage, the leaves are dark green or purplish, with shallow, sparse and purplish red serrations at the leaf margin, and the leaves are green in the middle and late stages. Corolla is lavender, stamens are not exposed, most varieties have low seed setting rate, weak growth potential and branching ability, underground stems and fibrous roots are shallower than the ground, and many stolons are exposed on the ground. The output of volatile oil is unstable, but the quality is good and the menthol content in oil is high.

Peppermint green stem: the stem base is purple in seedling stage, green in upper part, lavender in middle and late stage, and green in middle and upper part. Pulse lavender or bluish white, slightly concave. The leaves are round or oval at seedling stage and oval at middle and late stage. The leaves are green at seedling stage and dark green at middle and late stage. Corolla white, slightly blue, both male and female. Most varieties have high seed setting rate, underground stems and fibrous roots are deeply buried, and few stolons are exposed on the surface. Strong branching ability and stress resistance, stable output of volatile oil, but the quality of oil is not as good as purple stem type.

Data expansion

Mint (scientific name: Mentha canadensis Linnaeus) is a plant of Labiatae and Mentha, that is, it belongs to other dry whole grasses. Most of them were born by the wetland river in Shan Ye, and their roots are underground. Most of them were born at an altitude of 2 100 meters, but they can also grow at an altitude of 3500 meters. They are aromatic crops with special economic value. The whole plant is green and fragrant. Leaves opposite, flowers small lavender, lip-shaped, and small dark purple-brown fruit after flowering.

Morphological characteristics: perennial herbs. The stem is erect, 30-60 cm high, with slender fibrous roots and horizontally creeping rhizomes at the lower part, four-shaped tips and four grooves, the upper part is inverted and puberulent, and the lower part is only puberulent along the _ _ _, which is multi-branched. Leaf blade oblong-lanceolate, lanceolate, elliptic or ovoid-lanceolate, sparsely oblong, 3-5(7) cm long and 0.8-3 cm wide, with acute apex, wedge-shaped to nearly round base, sparse thick dentate serrations on the upper edge of the base, about 5-6 pairs of lateral veins, middle ribs protruding above the micro-depression, and green top; The rest is sparsely puberulent along the vein, or the rest is nearly hairless except the vein, and the upper part is light green, usually densely puberulent along the vein; Petiole 2- 10 mm long, concave and convex, puberulent.

Growing environment: mint has strong adaptability to environmental conditions, can grow in areas below 2 100 meters above sea level, and is born in wet places near water, with an altitude of 3500 meters. Peppermint has a strong adaptability to temperature, and its roots can survive the winter and can withstand the low temperature of-15℃. The optimum growth temperature is 25℃-30℃. When the temperature is lower than 15℃, the growth is slow, and when it is higher than 20℃, the growth is accelerated. At 20℃-30℃, as long as the water and fertilizer are suitable, the higher the temperature, the faster the growth. Mint is a long-day crop, and it likes sunshine. Long-term sunshine can promote the flowering of peppermint, which is beneficial to the accumulation of peppermint oil and menthol. Peppermint is not very strict with the soil. Except sandy soil, cohesive soil, low-lying soil with heavy pH and poor drainage, it can be planted in general, especially sandy loam soil and alluvial soil. The optimum pH value of soil is 6-7.5.

Distribution: Peppermint is widely distributed in temperate regions of the northern hemisphere and all over China. There are many cultivated areas in China, among which Jiangsu and Anhui are traditional authentic producing areas, but the cultivated areas are decreasing. [3] Tropical Asia, Russian Far East, Korea, Japan and North America (as far away as southern Mexico) are also distributed.

Edible value: mint has dual functions of medicine and food. The main edible parts are stems and leaves, which can also be used to juice clothes. In edible aspect, mint can be used as flavoring agent, spice, wine and tea.

Medicinal value: mint is a commonly used Chinese medicine in China. Young shoot tips can be used as food, and whole grass can be used as medicine. Can be used for treating common cold, fever, sore throat, headache, red eyes, muscle pain, skin itching with rubella, measles, etc. In addition, it is also effective for carbuncle, gangrene, scabies, ringworm and lacquer sore. Mint contains menthol, which can refresh breath and has many medicinal values. It can relieve abdominal pain and gallbladder spasm, and also has the functions of antisepsis, sterilization, diuresis, expectoration, stomach strengthening and digestion assistance. Eating a lot of mint can cause insomnia, but eating a little mint can help you sleep.