Spearmint

Lore & Background

Spearmint was first scientifically described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753, with the epithet spicata meaning 'bearing a spike.' The plant is an allopolyploid species, likely resulting from hybridization and chromosome doubling of Mentha longifolia and Mentha suaveolens. It has two accepted subspecies: subsp. condensata, found in the eastern Mediterranean from Italy to Egypt, and subsp. spicata, with a distribution matching the species as a whole. Spearmint hybridizes with other Mentha species, producing hybrids such as Mentha × gracilis (Scotch spearmint) and Mentha × villosa. Note: Peppermint (Mentha × piperita) is a hybrid of Mentha aquatica (water mint) and Mentha spicata (spearmint), not a hybrid of spearmint with another species.

Reader's Guide

Spearmint has been documented in historical records since at least the 1st century AD, with references from naturalist Pliny and mentions in the Bible. It was introduced into England by the Romans by the 5th century. John Gerard's Herbal (1597) describes its use for watering eyes, head sores, and stings from wasps and bees, and notes that its smell 'rejoices the heart of man.' During the American Revolution, spearmint was an important cash crop in Connecticut, and mint tea became popular as it was not taxed. The plant's essential oil, oil of spearmint, is dominated by R-(–)-carvone, giving it a distinctive minty, green, cooling, spicy aroma, and contains minimal menthol compared to peppermint oil.

It is used in toothpaste, confectionery, shampoos, and soaps. Spearmint has shown antimicrobial activity in vitro, particularly against gram-positive bacteria, and its essential oil has been studied as a larvicide against mosquitoes and as an insecticide against adult moths. The plant is also used in traditional medicine and is an ingredient in beverages such as Maghrebi mint tea, mojitos, mint juleps, and spearmint-flavored milk in Western Australia.

Did You Know?

• Spearmint's name derives from its pointed leaf tips.
• Spearmint cultivation in the United States became significant in the 19th century, particularly in the Midwest, rather than being an important cash crop in Connecticut during the American Revolution.
• Spearmint can be infected by tobacco ringspot virus, leading to stunted growth and leaf deformation.