Question

speech on mint plant

Answer 1

Mint is one of the herbs that has it all.  It grows like a weed, is perfectly safe for use, and is an excellent remedy for reducing symptoms related to digestion.  And it tastes good going down!  They don't serve after-dinner mints virtually everywhere you go for nothing.  It is well known for its properties related to indigestion, stomach cramps, menstrual cramps, flatulence, upset stomach, nausea, vomiting, and colic in children.  Make a Tea out of fresh or dried leaves for a tasty and refreshing after-dinner stomach soother.  For the younger crowd, it can also be heated with milk for the same effect (and they will like it).  

Mint also can be used as an appetite stimulant.  It reduces hunger for a short time, but when the effects wear off the hunger returns stronger than before. For those lucky enough to need to gain a few pounds, a tea might be tried 30 minutes before a meal for appetite stimulation. 

Peppermint is much more effective as a medicinal herb than Spearmint, which is mostly a culinary herb.  However, use Spearmint in place of Peppermint in cases of digestive problems or colic in very small children, as Peppermint may be a bit too strong. 

Answer 2

Mentha (also known as mint) is a genus of plants in the family Lamiaceae (mint family). It is estimated that 13 to 18 species exist, and the exact distinction between species is still unclear.

Hybridization between some of the species occurs naturally. Many other hybrids, as well as numerous cultivars, are known.  

The genus has a subcosmopolitan distribution across Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and North America.

Mints are aromatic, almost exclusively perennial herbs. They have wide-spreading underground and overground stolons and erect, square, branched stems. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs, from oblong to lanceolate, often downy, and with a serrated margin. Leaf colors range from dark green and gray-green to purple, blue, and sometimes pale yellow. The flowers are white to purple and produced in false whorls called verticillasters. The corolla is two-lipped with four subequal lobes, the upper lobe usually the largest. The fruit is a nutlet, containing one to four seeds.  

While the species that makes up the genus Mentha is widely distributed and can be found in many environments, most grow best in wet environments and moist soils. Mints will grow 10–120 cm tall and can spread over an indeterminate area. Due to their tendency to spread unchecked, some mints are considered invasive.