Mentha aquatica

Mentha aquatica
Mentha aquatica

Common names: water mint, wild mint, wild thyme, marsh mint, aromatic thyme (English); ityaleba, icholachola, inxima, inxina (Xhosa); amabunu, imbozisa, umaliwane, umayime, umnuka (Zulu); koena-e-nyenyane, koane-ya-lidiba (Sotho); waterment, kruisement, kruistement (Afrikaans). 
Botanical name: Mentha aquatica

Water mint, Mentha aquatica, is a stunning plant with purple flowers and a minty scent that grows in wetlands and marshes. It attracts pollinators such as butterflies, bees and moths, as well as flies. It has a long history of medicinal use for respiratory, digestive and mental disorders, as well as for eye infections, menstrual problems and casting out evil spirits. It is also used as a culinary herb, a natural pesticide and an aromatherapy agent. Water mint is easy to grow from cuttings and can be planted in containers or near ponds and streams. It prefers moist, acidic soil and full sun or partial shade.

Uses & Benefits: aromatic, culinary herb, flavouring, food, insect repellent, medicine, phyto-remediation, ponds & ecopools, pot plant, tea, wetlands, wildlife


Nature & Cultivation

Family: Lamiaceae
Type: aquatic
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Flower colour: mauve
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Plant-animal interactions: bees, butterflies
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Use as Medicine

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