The Best Types Of Mint You Can Grow In An Herb Garden

Mint is an incredible plant that has been coveted throughout the world for centuries. Some of its health benefits include aiding digestion, boosting the immune system, and helping with weight loss. It’s also a great pest deterrent for your garden, as its strong aroma keeps aphids and other pests away. With so many varieties, however, it can be tough choosing which types of mint you should grow in your garden.

Some of the most popular types of mint that grow easily in most gardens include peppermint and spearmint. If you love making tea, try growing Moroccan mint for an authentic taste. Some unique culinary mint varieties include flavored mints like orange, pineapple, and even banana mint. Cocktail lovers should grow mojito mint. You can also try more obscure types like water mint, apple mint, and basil mint. 

Mint is an herb that everyone should include in an outdoor garden. It benefits any garden and grows like a weed. It often comes back year after year, even after harsh winters. You also don’t need to be a wiz in the kitchen to use this fresh herb, as it’s great as a garnish or sprinkled on salads. Below is a list of the best types of mint you can grow in your garden, with information on what makes each type special.

13 Types Of Mint Worth Planting In Your Herb Garden

1. Peppermint

Peppermint is the king of mint. It is the most widely used, and also the most famous mint variety. It’s found in tea, candy, and even cosmetics. Peppermint has a very high menthol content. Menthol has great natural cooling properties.

The menthol smell and taste make peppermint cool and refreshing in beverages, and also make it great for essential oils and other home remedies. It contains antiseptic and anti-parasitic qualities, making it a great medicinal plant as well. This mint is very easy to grow, as it is known for its resilience and adaptability.

2. Spearmint

Spearmint comes in a close second to peppermint in popularity. It’s one of the most popular chewing gum flavors, but it has more uses than providing you with fresh breath. Unlike peppermint, spearmint has low levels of menthol.

Instead of being very cooling like peppermint, spearmint has a distinct flavor and high levels of limonene. Limonene is great for your health. It is a natural remedy with anti-cancer properties, helps reduce inflammation, and can help improve your heart health. It even has the potential to help lower cholesterol, making it a great herb for health-conscious gardeners. 

3. Chocolate Mint

One of the most unique mint varieties is chocolate mint. As its name suggests, this mint has mint and chocolate notes. It is a hearty mint that provides ground cover and grows back each year.

It is perhaps the best mint to use as a garnish for dessert, and can be used in sweet and savory recipes. This mint is related to spearmint, and like that mint, it has several health benefits, including antioxidants and vitamins.

4. Lemon Mint

If you want fresh mint and also want to attract more pollinators to your garden, then lemon mint is a great option. This wild mint is often called lemon bee balm, and has sweet nectar in its purple flowers that attract all sorts of pollinators.

In addition to being a great pollinating and companion plant, lemon mint is great to use in the kitchen. It has a citrus fragrance that can elevate many recipes, from salads to meat dishes and desserts. If you like mint in your iced tea, then lemon mint is worth growing.

5. Moroccan Mint

If you’ve ever had traditional Moroccan tea, then you’ve likely tasted Moroccan mint. While peppermint is the most common mint for a cooling mint tea, Moroccan mint has been used for centuries to make hot mint tea.

This mint has plenty of flavor, but is more palatable than spearmint or peppermint. It has a lower menthol content and doesn’t have a strong spearmint flavor. Instead, it has a subtle sweetness that makes it universally enjoyable, especially when steeped in hot water.

6. English Mint

English mint has been grown in English gardens and used in British kitchens for centuries. It is one of the most flavorful mints you can find, and grows well in cool climates, returning annually. 

This is the mint you’ll find used in mint jelly and mint sauces used in traditional British cuisine.

It has a pungent flavor, making your garden and cuisine smell amazing. It also grows lovely pink and purple flowers in the summer, which gives extra color to your herb garden and attracts pollinators in the summer months.

7. Apple Mint

If you want to grow a more subtle mint along with bold varieties like peppermint and spearmint, then apple mint is a good choice. This unique mint has a mild flavor, with fruity notes including apple.

Because it has a mild flavor, you can use it more liberally and in just about any type of cuisine. It’s a great flavor booster for anything you want to make more refreshing, without overpowering a dish.

8. Water Mint

If you live in a particularly wet climate that experiences frequent flooding, then water mint is the best type to grow. Where some mints can experience root rot and get waterlogged, water mint thrives in wet soil. It particularly loves growing along the edge of water sources including lakes and rivers.

This mint has a classic and bold mint flavor, making it great in any recipe that calls for strong mint. Water mint grows beautiful lilac-colored bulb flowers that bloom each year, attracting pollinators.

9. Mojito Mint

If you love mojitos, then you know the most important ingredient in this classic cocktail is high-quality, fresh mint. When mojitos are your summer cocktail of choice, plant mojito mint in your herb garden.

While you can use most mint varieties to make this cocktail, mojito mint is particularly suited for this beverage. Mojito mint is known for its crinkled leaves that release flavor easily when muddled in a cocktail. The flavor is also subtle, offering minty oils and citrus notes. This makes it perfect for crafting a balanced cocktail.

10. Basil Mint

If you want to incorporate more minty flavors into savory dishes, then basil mint is a great place to start. This herb is the perfect marriage of basil and mint, making it the ultimate refreshing flavor bomb. 

Unlike most types of basil, basil mint is a perennial and will return each year. It is easy to grow, and can even thrive indoors in a container, provided it has enough light. It’s a truly one-of-a-kind herb that every home chef should plant at least once.

11. Pineapple Mint

Pineapple mint is another fun hybrid mint you can experiment with in the kitchen. It has sweet and fruity notes that some say are reminiscent of minty pineapple. This mint has beautiful off-white edges and hairy leaves, which make it an elegant, variegated garnish you can use on any plate.

12. Orange Mint

Of all the hybrid mints, orange mint is the best option for those looking for a balance between minty freshness and notes of citrus. Mint and citrus go together wonderfully, so it’s no surprise that orange mint can enhance beverages, desserts, and savory meals as well.

This mint likes to grow where citrus grows, mostly in sub-tropical climates. This makes it a great mint to grow when you live somewhere too hot for cold-hardy varieties.

13. Banana Mint

You might think banana and mint are a strange combination, but banana mint is a surprisingly delightful herb. This mint releases a sweet and banana-like flavor when it’s crushed. It is a slightly obscure varietal, but it is a great addition to any herb garden, especially for those who love making refreshing desserts and cocktails. It also grows nectar-filled flowers that attract many pollinators.

Summing Up The Best Types Of Mint To Grow In Your Garden

Mint is a fragrant, delicious, and healthy herb that is as beneficial to your garden as it is to your body. With so many benefits, you should consider planting one of the many amazing types of mint that are easy to grow in home gardens. 

Peppermint and spearmint are the most popular types of mint and should be staples in every herb garden. Moroccan mint is great for tea, and mojito mint is ideal for cocktail lovers. Some unique hybrid mint flavors that are fun to play around with in the kitchen include chocolate, orange, banana, and pineapple mint.

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