Botanical profile

Apple mint

Latin name
Mentha suaveolens
Common name
Apple mint
Type
Perennial
Family
Lamiaceae

Apple mint is a perennial aromatic plant highly valued for its green, slightly downy foliage, with a sweet, fresh, and fruity scent reminiscent of green apple. Its more delicate aroma than that of peppermint makes it an ideal variety for herb gardens, edible containers, planters, and patio pots. It adds a gourmet, refreshing, and original touch to outdoor arrangements, while providing an abundant harvest of aromatic leaves throughout the season.

Easy to cultivate, apple mint prefers a location in gentle sun or partial shade, in fertile, fresh, and well-drained soil. It appreciates regular watering to maintain tender, flavorful, and fragrant foliage. Like most mints, it can spread rapidly when planted in the ground, so it is recommended to grow it in pots or in a delimited space to better control its growth. Frequent pruning promotes a denser, more productive, and easier-to-harvest plant.

Very versatile in cooking, apple mint is perfect for flavoring infusions, iced teas, lemonades, cocktails, flavored water, fruit salads, desserts, sorbets, fresh sauces, and summer recipes. Its leaves are used fresh to add a mild, fruity, and slightly sweet minty note to homemade preparations. It is an excellent plant for creating an original, productive, and easy-to-maintain aromatic garden, with a milder and fruitier flavor than classic mints.

Care guide

Care level
Easy

Choosing this plant

Main benefit
Sweet aromatic foliage with a fruity apple scent
Container, vegetable garden, herbs, herbal tea, desserts, cold drinks
Container growing
Recommended for container growing to control its spread
Seasonal care
Trim regularly to maintain a compact shape; grow in containers to control rhizomes; cut back in spring
Growing conditions

Light, soil, water and hardiness

Hardiness zone
Zone 4 and above
Exposure
Sun to partial shade
Watering
Regular; keep the soil moist without waterlogging
Humidity
Medium to high humidity; prefers cool soil
Fertilization
Light compost in spring; moderate fertilization in pots
Soil type
Fertile, cool, humus-rich and well-drained soil
Soil pH
Slightly acidic to neutral
Minimum temperature
-30°C
Propagation method
Division, cuttings, or runners
Plant appearance

Blooming, foliage and shape

Blooming period
Summer
Flower color
Pale purple to pink
Foliage color
Light, slightly fluffy green
Foliage type
Obsolete
Shape
Bushy, spreading, and rhizomatous habit
Garden structure

Size and growth

Height
45 to 75 cm (18 to 30 inches)
Width
45 to 60 cm (18 to 24 inches)
Growth rate
Rapid growth
Vegetable garden and yield

Companion planting, spacing and harvest

Companion plants
Lemon balm, chives, parsley, marigolds
Spacing
45 to 60 cm (18 to 24 inches)
Harvest period
Leaves: May to September
Not recommended for pets
Not recommended for pets

Pets

Butterflies
Plants that attract butterflies

Butterflies

Repellent
Helps repel certain pests

Repellent

The availability of our plants varies depending on arrivals, seasons, nursery production and supplier availability. Some varieties may be offered for a limited time only, depending on their natural cycle or current stock. These plant profiles are designed to guide and inspire you when choosing plants for the garden, landscaping projects, containers or long-lasting outdoor arrangements.