{"id":35761,"date":"2022-02-08T14:42:33","date_gmt":"2022-02-08T14:42:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/?p=35761"},"modified":"2022-02-08T14:45:35","modified_gmt":"2022-02-08T14:45:35","slug":"water-mint-mentha-aquatica-identification-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/2022\/02\/08\/water-mint-mentha-aquatica-identification-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Water Mint (Mentha aquatica) Identification Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><strong>Water Mint \/ Spring \/ Summer \/ Autumn \/ Edible<\/strong><\/h2>\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-35761 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-medium'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/2022\/02\/08\/water-mint-mentha-aquatica-identification-guide\/water-mint-close-up-of-flowers2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Water-mint-close-up-of-flowers2-300x225.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-35769\" srcset=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Water-mint-close-up-of-flowers2-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Water-mint-close-up-of-flowers2-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Water-mint-close-up-of-flowers2.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-35769'>\n\t\t\t\tAnRo0002, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/2022\/02\/08\/water-mint-mentha-aquatica-identification-guide\/water-mint-close-up-of-a-leaf\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"263\" src=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Water-mint-close-up-of-a-leaf-300x263.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-35762\" srcset=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Water-mint-close-up-of-a-leaf-300x263.jpg 300w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Water-mint-close-up-of-a-leaf-150x131.jpg 150w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Water-mint-close-up-of-a-leaf.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-35762'>\n\t\t\t\tFrank Vincentz, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/2022\/02\/08\/water-mint-mentha-aquatica-identification-guide\/water-mint-close-up-of-the-flowers\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Water-mint-close-up-of-the-flowers-300x225.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-35764\" srcset=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Water-mint-close-up-of-the-flowers-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Water-mint-close-up-of-the-flowers-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Water-mint-close-up-of-the-flowers.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-35764'>\n\t\t\t\tAnRo0002, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/2022\/02\/08\/water-mint-mentha-aquatica-identification-guide\/water-mint-growing-near-a-river\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Water-mint-growing-near-a-river-225x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-35768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Water-mint-growing-near-a-river-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Water-mint-growing-near-a-river-112x150.jpg 112w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Water-mint-growing-near-a-river.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-35768'>\n\t\t\t\tH. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<h2><strong>Identification Guide for Water Mint<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>A fairly common, perennial member of the mentha family, it can be found near water or in damp woodlands.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><strong>Common Names<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Water Mint<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><strong>Botanical Name<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Mentha aquatica<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><strong>Scientific Classification<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Kingdom<\/strong> \u2013 Plantae<\/p>\n<p><strong>Order<\/strong> \u2013 Lamiales<\/p>\n<p><strong>Family<\/strong> \u2013 Lamiaceae<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><strong>Physical Characteristics for Water Mint<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Stems<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Like all members of the mint family they have square stems. Up to 90 cm tall, the stem can be green to purple in colour.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_35768\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-35768\" style=\"width: 225px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-35768\" src=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Water-mint-growing-near-a-river-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Water-mint-growing-near-a-river-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Water-mint-growing-near-a-river-112x150.jpg 112w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Water-mint-growing-near-a-river.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-35768\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0 &lt;https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0&gt;, via Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Leaves<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The leaves grow in opposite pairs, they are oval and toothed, they can be green to purple depending on age and smell minty when crushed.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_35762\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-35762\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-35762\" src=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Water-mint-close-up-of-a-leaf-300x263.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"263\" srcset=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Water-mint-close-up-of-a-leaf-300x263.jpg 300w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Water-mint-close-up-of-a-leaf-150x131.jpg 150w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Water-mint-close-up-of-a-leaf.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-35762\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Frank Vincentz, CC BY-SA 3.0 &lt;http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0\/&gt;, via Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Flowers<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The individual flowers are tiny but they appear as clusters at the tops of the stems and are lilac to purple in colour.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_35764\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-35764\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-35764\" src=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Water-mint-close-up-of-the-flowers-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Water-mint-close-up-of-the-flowers-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Water-mint-close-up-of-the-flowers-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Water-mint-close-up-of-the-flowers.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-35764\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">AnRo0002, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Roots<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The plant produces wide-spreading rhizomes that are brown in colour.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><strong>Habitat<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Damp environments, riverbanks, canals, damp woodlands.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><strong>Known Hazards<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>None Known<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><strong>Could be Confused with&#8230;<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>With the distinctive aroma it could only really be confused with other members of the mint family, this species is distinguished by growing near water.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><strong>Edible Uses<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Use as you would shop bought mint. It can be added to salads, pesto\u2019s and dressing. It makes a lovely refreshing tea.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><strong>Notes on Herbal Uses<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The plant is a mild sedative and is useful in treating stomach upsets and calming the nerves.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><strong>Extra notes from the Foragers<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>When this species hybridises with Spearmint (Mentha spicata) it produces Peppermint.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Resources<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardenersworld.com\/plants\/mentha-aquatica\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.gardenersworld.com\/plants\/mentha-aquatica\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wildlifetrusts.org\/wildlife-explorer\/wildflowers\/water-mint\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.wildlifetrusts.org\/wildlife-explorer\/wildflowers\/water-mint<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardeningknowhow.com\/edible\/herbs\/mint\/growing-watermint.htm\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.gardeningknowhow.com\/edible\/herbs\/mint\/growing-watermint.htm<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mentha_aquatica#:~:text=Water%20mint%20is%20a%20herbaceous,fleshy%2C%20and%20bear%20fibrous%20roots.\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mentha_aquatica#:~:text=Water%20mint%20is%20a%20herbaceous,fleshy%2C%20and%20bear%20fibrous%20roots.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Water Mint \/ Spring \/ Summer \/ Autumn \/ Edible Identification Guide for Water Mint A fairly common, perennial member of the mentha family, it can be found near water or in damp woodlands. Common Names Water Mint Botanical Name Mentha aquatica Scientific Classification Kingdom \u2013 Plantae Order \u2013 Lamiales&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":35769,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[101,86],"tags":[239,152,914,913,104,238,912],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35761"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35761"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35761\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36809,"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35761\/revisions\/36809"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35769"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35761"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35761"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35761"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}