Apple Mint

Apple mint is an aromatic plant herbaceous perennial that waves from the mint family Lamiaceae. It is characterized by squared-stem adorned with bright green, wrinkled, and hairy leaves. Its mauve flowers blow the air of elegance and beauty in the garden.

Apple mint earned this unique name due to the fragrance and taste its leaves impart. The mildly fruity flavor and apple scent make the apple mint a star of the herbalism.

Historically, ancient Greeks used it in their baths because of its amazing scent. This upright plant was also used to be burned during cultural ceremonies and deter pests markets, homes, castles, and monasteries.

Fresh leaves of apple mint are readily employed in cocktails, mocktails, and teas. Medicinally, apple mint leaves are used to reduce fever, headaches, and cure gastrointestinal problems. Its leaves also render antiseptic property which makes it feasible for healing infected wounds. Powdered apple mint leaves are pro at whitening the teeth.

Moreover, apple mint leaves portray anticancer, anti-influenza, anti-asthmatic, and anti-stress activities. The most major biologically active ingredients of apple mint are linalool, geranyl acetate, and ρ-menth-1-en-8-ol.

Apple mint is the lover of well-watered soil. This herbaceous perennial is quite low-maintenance. It can do well in any ordinary soil and can be started both indoors and outdoors. However, the apple mint will thrive if it receives, humus-rich, fertile soil with excellent drainage.

Apple mint seeds can be sown anytime from May till October. The plant can be started via both seeds and cuttings. Evidently, apple mint is quite invasive so it is counseled to prune the plant regular or confine it to an indoor containerized pot. It is made sure that the plant is placed or sown in a region that receives full sun to part shade.

Apple mint is considered as the sweetest of all mints. Sown seeds are covered lightly with the soil and kept moist to allow them to germinate within 10 to 15 days. Soon some well-behaved bushes emerge out of the ground that in no time become aggressive and start invading even forbidden territories too.

Apple mint plant initiates blooming in June and continues to keep up with the task zealously until August. The scent of this plant lures the pollinating insects to carry out pollination and allows the formation of seed pods. The seed pods upon drying release seeds which either germinate on their own in the wild or are saved by gardeners to have a fragrant garden.

The stalks of apple mint are harvested just before the plant steps into the blooming phase.

The leaves of apple mint are what everyone gushes over. They are snipped by sharp scissors when they are young and bright.

Apple mint leaves are usually used fresh to adorn desserts and salads but they can also be dried and stored to keep the charming essence alive all year round. The stalks are hanged in a well-ventilated room, away from the direct sunlight to avoid combustion of its oils.

After getting dried they demand to be packed in an airtight container for later use.

With apple mint, the field is open to try and have new experiences. Its medicinal preparations are cheered among the patients who seem to have palatability issues because apple mint is the sweetest mint among its other family members.

• Tincture - Infuse fresh or dried chopped apple mint leaves in grain alcohol for 4 to 6 weeks. Strain the liquid and place it in a dark and dry place.
• Tea - Two to three dried apple mint leaves are left with a cup of hot boiling water for 5 to 10 minutes and enjoyed as a tea.
• Decoction - NO
• Salve - Apple mint-infused oil and some orange mint-infused oil are merged with melted beeswax to formulate apple mint salve.
• Syrup - Granulated sugar is dissolved in water and chopped apple mint fresh leaves are put in the simple syrup to be called apple mint syrup.
• Infused oil - Dried apple mint leaves are allowed to infuse with olive oil or jojoba oil for 2 to 3 weeks on a sunny windowsill to make apple mint-infused oil.

• Mid-June Mayernik Garden