Mint (spearmint)
Mentha spicata
A spreading culinary herb with opposite toothed leaves and slender flower spikes. Spearmint leaves flavour drinks and food. Peppermint, native mints and ornamental relatives also occur, so a general mint sighting may need a different profile.
Native range
Europe and Asia; widely cultivated and naturalized elsewhere.
Typical season
Fresh growth depends on climate, cutting and planting conditions; no reviewed local picking calendar is assigned.
Identification
Compare opposite leaves, square stems and flower spikes with Mentha spicata. Minty scent supports but does not establish identity. Do not assign every aromatic plant to this species; record uncertain finds as Identification needed.