Mint
Mentha
Mint blooms from June through August.
Mature size, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not.
Growing Mint
Plant it in part sun. It prefers high water. It is hardy in USDA zones 3–9. Expect it to reach about 1.6 ft tall and 2 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 2 years.
When to plant Mint
Wait until all danger of frost has passed, then plant out Mint into warm soil; in most zones that means late spring. Planted then, it flowers from June to August.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar: for the middle of its range, start with zone 6 in April.
Good to know about Mint
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Safety
Fine as a seasoning for people, but the ASPCA lists mint as toxic to dogs, cats and horses; large amounts cause vomiting and diarrhea. per ASPCA
Worth knowing
The word 'mint' also covers pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium), whose essential oil is a documented liver toxin that has killed people. Never use it like a kitchen mint. per LiverTox
Sunk pot or above ground
One camp says a sunk bottomless pot works if its rim stands above the soil; Illinois warns sunk pots often fail as runners escape. An above-ground pot is safest. per Illinois and Utah State
Spreads without limit
Mint spreads aggressively by underground rhizomes and surface stolons, and stems root wherever they touch soil. Once established it is very hard to remove, so confine it. per NC State
Deer and rabbit resistant
Deer and rabbits leave mint alone. The aromatic essential oils that flavor the leaves are the same ones that deter browsing animals. per NC State
Watch for mint rust
Mint rust, a fungus, shows as whitish spots that turn reddish-orange to brown under the leaves. Wet foliage favors it, so water at the base and give good airflow. per Utah State
Feeds pollinators if it blooms
Left to flower, mint draws butterflies and bees. But cooks pinch off the flower spikes to keep the leaves flavorful, so let part of the patch bloom for them. per NC State
What pairs well with Mint
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Azalea
Takes part sun to part shade and moderate to high water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; taller at 3.9 ft, for the layer behind it.
Bugleweed
Takes part sun to part shade and moderate to high water; opens in mid spring and overlaps into this one's season; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; lower at 6 in, for the front of the border.
Camellia
Takes part sun to part shade and moderate to high water; blooms in midwinter, before this one opens; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; taller at 6.6 ft, for the layer behind it.
Flowering Dogwood
Takes part sun to part shade and moderate to high water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; its white flowers settle the purple.
Lilac
Takes full sun to part sun and moderate to high water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; taller at 9.8 ft, for the layer behind it; echoes the purple.
Arborvitae
Takes full sun to part sun and moderate to high water; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Perennial Sunflower
Takes full sun to part sun and moderate to high water; overlaps, then carries the display into mid fall; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; taller at 4.9 ft, for the layer behind it; this one spreads, so it will crowd its neighbor in time.
Aster
Takes full sun to part sun and moderate to high water; blooms in early fall as this one finishes; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; echoes the purple; this one spreads, so it will crowd its neighbor in time.
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