Seasonal Wild Flowers

Round-leaved Mint

Mentha suaveolens

Apple-scented mint

Lamiaceae

August to September

It is native in the Southwest.

The naturalised, garden escape is scattered throughout

the country.

See the BSBI distribution map for Round-leaved Mint

It grows in large colonies on damp waste land, ditches

and beside roads.

Round-leaved Mint is both a native and introduced,

rhizomatous, perennial, aromatic herb, growing up

to 90cm.

Flowers are in spikes up to 5cm long.

Flowers have 4 pinkish lilac to white lobes - the upper

lobe largest.

There are 4 protruding stamens with purple anthers.

The stigma is white, forked and also protrudes.

Bracts are lanceolate and longer than the flowers.

Leaves are almost round, toothed, crinkly, opposite,

sessile and up to 4cm across.

Stems are upright and densely covered in white hairs.

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Round-leaved Mint, road-side.

Portesham, Dorset

Branched flower spike

Flower spike

Close-up of flowers, stamens, forked stigmas

Round, crinkled leaves

Stem with downy hairs