The image, above, shows the full water mint plant (Menthaaquatica), showing a single plant, top left, a group of
plants top, centre and a second group of plants, top right. The
bottom panel shows a close-up o the water mint flower, left and a
close-up of the plant's young leaves, bottom right..
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Common Name: Water Mint |
| Scientific Name: Mentha aquatica |
| Other Names: |
| Family: Lamiaceae |
| Range: Europe, including Britain, south and east to N. Africa and southwest Asia Also in S. Africa, Madeira |
Physical Characteristics
Mentha aquatica is a hardy Perennial plant, growing to 1m (3 ft 3 in) by 1m (3 ft 3 in) in size. It is hardy to zone 6 and is not frost tender. The plant flowers from July to October and seeds ripen from September to October. The flowers are hermaphrodite and are pollinated by bees. The plant is self-fertile.
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| Edible Parts: Leaves, Flowers |
 Edibility Rating: 3 
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 Known Hazards: Although no records of toxicity have been seen for this species, large quantities of some members of this genus, especially when taken in the form of the extracted essential oil, can cause abortions so some caution is advised. Water mint is a probable ancestor of garden mint, so the risk is very low.
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Welcome to the summary page for FabulousFusionFood's Wild Food guide to Water Mint along with all the Water Mint containing recipes presented on this site, with 4 recipes in total.
This is a continuation of an entire series of pages that will, I hope, allow my visitors to better navigate this site. As well as displaying recipes by name, country and region of origin I am now planning a whole series of pages where recipes can be located by meal type and main ingredient. This page gives a listing of all the Cornish recipes added to this site.
These recipes, all contain Water Mint as a major wild food ingredient.
Water Mint, Mentha aquatica, is a perennial herb in the Lamiaceae (mint) family. Typically it grows to about a meter in height (though it can reach 1.5m). It tends to grow in the shallow margins and channels of streams, rivers, pools, dykes, ditches, canals, wet meadows, marshes and fens. Like many other members of the mint family Water Mint has ovate to ovate-lanceolate, green (sometimes purplish), opposite, toothed, veined leaves which can be either hairy or hairless.
Water Mint has a very distinct minty smell that's cleaner and more piercing than that of wild mint (Mentha arvensis). If you are looking for a wild mint then this is the one to gather and use. It can be used anywhere that cultivated mint would be used and also makes an unusual pesto. A herb tea can be made from the leaves and the flowers are also edible.
[2]. Huxley, A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992
[3]. Tanaka, T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World.
[4]. Lim T.K. Edible Medicinal And Non-Medicinal Plants, Vols 1–8.
[5]. Thomas, G. S. Perennial Garden Plants
[6]. Milner, E. Trees of Britain and Ireland
[7]. Rose, F. & O'Reilly, C. The Wild Flower Key (Revised Edition) – How to identify wild plants, trees and shrubs in Britain and Ireland
[8]. Streeter, D. & Garrard, I. The Wild Flowers of the British Isles
[9]. Clapham, A.R.; Tutin, T.G. & Moore, D.M. Flora of the British Isles
[10]. Phillips, R. Mushrooms
[10]. Phillips, R. Mushrooms
[11]. Jordan, P. & Wheeler, S. The Complete Book of Mushrooms: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Edible Mushrooms
[12]. Bunker, F.; Brodie, J.A.; Maggs, C.A. & Bunker, A. Seaweeds of Britain and Ireland.
[13]. Facciola, S. Cornucopia — A Source Book of Edible Plants
This is a continuation of an entire series of pages that will, I hope, allow my visitors to better navigate this site. As well as displaying recipes by name, country and region of origin I am now planning a whole series of pages where recipes can be located by meal type and main ingredient. This page gives a listing of all the Cornish recipes added to this site.
These recipes, all contain Water Mint as a major wild food ingredient.
Water Mint, Mentha aquatica, is a perennial herb in the Lamiaceae (mint) family. Typically it grows to about a meter in height (though it can reach 1.5m). It tends to grow in the shallow margins and channels of streams, rivers, pools, dykes, ditches, canals, wet meadows, marshes and fens. Like many other members of the mint family Water Mint has ovate to ovate-lanceolate, green (sometimes purplish), opposite, toothed, veined leaves which can be either hairy or hairless.
Water Mint has a very distinct minty smell that's cleaner and more piercing than that of wild mint (Mentha arvensis). If you are looking for a wild mint then this is the one to gather and use. It can be used anywhere that cultivated mint would be used and also makes an unusual pesto. A herb tea can be made from the leaves and the flowers are also edible.
References:
[1]. David Evans Notes from field observations, tastings and cookery experiments.[2]. Huxley, A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992
[3]. Tanaka, T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World.
[4]. Lim T.K. Edible Medicinal And Non-Medicinal Plants, Vols 1–8.
[5]. Thomas, G. S. Perennial Garden Plants
[6]. Milner, E. Trees of Britain and Ireland
[7]. Rose, F. & O'Reilly, C. The Wild Flower Key (Revised Edition) – How to identify wild plants, trees and shrubs in Britain and Ireland
[8]. Streeter, D. & Garrard, I. The Wild Flowers of the British Isles
[9]. Clapham, A.R.; Tutin, T.G. & Moore, D.M. Flora of the British Isles
[10]. Phillips, R. Mushrooms
[10]. Phillips, R. Mushrooms
[11]. Jordan, P. & Wheeler, S. The Complete Book of Mushrooms: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Edible Mushrooms
[12]. Bunker, F.; Brodie, J.A.; Maggs, C.A. & Bunker, A. Seaweeds of Britain and Ireland.
[13]. Facciola, S. Cornucopia — A Source Book of Edible Plants
The alphabetical list of all Water Mint recipes on this site follows, (limited to 100 recipes per page). There are 4 recipes in total:
Page 1 of 1
| Carrot and Water Mint Soup Origin: Britain | Springtime Sauce for Lamb Origin: Britain |
| Lamb & Water Mint Meatballs Origin: Britain | Water Mint Jelly Origin: Britain |
Page 1 of 1