Leaf
Liliane Roubaudi, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0
Water mint
Mentha aquatica L.
Family: Lamiaceae
30 to 90 cm
Riverbanks, ditches, wetlands
Flowering: July – September
Full sun
Part shade
Very hardy, to -20°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Clear, immediate minty scent when crushed — the most aromatic of our wild mints.
🍃 Leaves
Ovate, toothed, very aromatic when crushed
🌸 Flowers
Small, mauve-pink, clustered in a dense ball at the top of the stem
🍎 Fruits
Tiny achenes
🪵 Bark
Square herbaceous stem, often reddish
🗺️ Distribution
Europe, North Africa, western Asia; common in France along watersides and in wetlands
🐝 Value for pollinators
Mauve flowers in whorls, very rich in nectar, visited by bees and butterflies in late summer
✂️ Horticultural uses
Planted at pond margins or in boggy areas, valued for its aromatic foliage
⚠️ Possible toxicity
No known toxicity
🌿 Other Lamiaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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