Illustration
Mint
Mentha
Mint blooms from June through August.
Months here are Northern Hemisphere months; in the Southern Hemisphere, shift them by six months.
Growing Mint
Plant it in part sun. It prefers high water. It is hardy in USDA zones 3–9. Expect it to reach about 20 in tall and 24 in wide at maturity, in roughly 2 years (not yet checked).
What was checked
Mature height and spread, 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, and each fact above says which. The planting, spacing and size sections are derived from these checked facts by a fixed rule, not checked separately, and the plant type is the library's own classification.
When to plant Mint
Plant Mint in early spring as soon as the soil is workable, or in early fall at least six weeks before your first frost, so roots establish in cool weather. Once settled, it blooms from June to August.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar; if you garden near zone 6, the middle of this plant's hardy range, start with zone 6 in April. Derived from the plant's category, zones and bloom months plus typical zone frost dates, not checked separately.
How big does Mint get?
20 intall5 ft 7 inan adult24 inwideSee Mint in a garden plan: the planner shows it in 3D beside everything else you add, growing toward this size over the years.
How far apart to plant Mint
Derived from the mature spread above by a fixed rule, not checked separately: spacing is the spread, center to center.
Space Mint about 24 in apart, center to center, so each plant has room to reach its full width.
Add Mint to a garden plan and the planner draws it at its full width, so you see the spacing before you buy.
Where these facts come from
Mint's height, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags were checked against 7 published sources on July 29, 2026. Each one is linked below with every fact it carried, which can include a fact this page still marks as not yet checked, because a source carrying a value is not the same as the value being held to the standard. Facts not in that list, and the planting, spacing and size sections, are not covered by these sources.
- Missouri Botanical Gardenheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- NC State ExtensionPlant Toolboxheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- NC State ExtensionPlant Toolboxheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- University of Maryland Extensionheight, sun and trait tags
- Utah State University Extensionheight, sun and trait tags
- RHSRoyal Horticultural Societysun and trait tags
- University of Illinois Extensionheight and sun
How the checking works, and what each standard covers, is on the verified plants page.
Good to know about Mint
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note. A note reports what its source says; where that differs from a fact above, the fact above is this entry's stored value, and its mark says whether it has been checked.
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.
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.
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 4 ft, for the layer behind it.
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 6.5 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 10 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 5 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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Design a garden with this
Drop this plant onto a 3D plan, see how it fills in, and watch your whole garden bloom across the year.