When deciding which mint to have at the Men's Garden Club
plant sale (coming up soon on May 8 & 9, 2015 -- 320 E Wildwood Ave, Villa Park, IL 9am to 3pm), we decided to choose a mint that was somewhat unique and exotic. Something that you might not find in just any garden center. The mint we chose was Pineapple Mint.
So today's Herb of the Week is
Pineapple Mint (Mentha suaveolens ‘Variegata’)
This is a highly ornamental, fragrant, useful herb, all owing to its green-and-cream variegated leaves. A great choice for gardeners looking to combine the ornamental and edible gardens into one. It is also deer resistant and attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds.
Mint -- the name has a romantic and scandalous Greek story
behind it! Hades, the God of the Underworld, fell in love with Minthe (or Menthe), a river
nymph. When Persephone, Hades’s wife, found out, she turned Minthe into a plant, so
that everyone would walk all over her
and crush her. Unable to undo the spell, Hades
gave Minthe a magnificent aroma
so that he could smell her and be near her when people trod on her.
Multiple Mints
The best-known mints are spearmint (Mentha spicata) and peppermint (Mentha
x piperita). To confuse the matter, there is also water mint (Mentha
aquatica), horse mint (Mentha longifolia), and pennyroyal (Mentha
pulegium). And then there are the flavored mints: apple mint, pineapple
mint, chocolate mint, orange mint, and ginger mint. Mints are almost too easy
to grow, so unless you speak very firmly to them and tell them they are not
allowed to cross the street, your neighbor will have them in her marigolds.
They crossbreed easily, too, so if you want your pineapple mint to remain true
to its divine nature, give it a separate garden spot of its own or be ready to
replace it each year.
Most of the plants in the mint
family, including the true mints, are not native to the United States, but were
introduced by Europeans. It’s common to find spearmint growing along streams or
springs in many parts of the United States. This is because pioneers moving
westward often carried along a few spearmint roots to plant in springs and
along streams, believing mint purified water. The sweet aroma of mint next to
the cool water of a spring on a hot day was nearly as refreshing as the water
itself.
To Grow
Pineapple mint is a variegated cultivar of apple mint (Mentha suaveolens). It features attractive, variegated leaves,
usually with white margins, on plants that grow up to a foot tall. The leaves
are bumpy and hairy and the white edging can make them look as though they are
sporting a ruffle. It is often referred to as a fuzzy mint.
White or light pink flowers bloom
on small spikes at the top of the plant in summer. The flowers attract a wide
variety of pollinating insects, including bees and
butterflies. Deer dislike
strong fragrances and hairy leaves, so they have two reasons to dislike
pineapple mint. It makes an attractive and fragrant ground cover, and
also grows well in containers and hanging baskets.
Mints seldom grow true from seed.
Even if grown some distance from each other, the plants often cross and the
seedlings can be some mixed-up little mints. For this reason, cuttings
generally are the method of choice for propagating mint, especially pineapple
mint. Never grow different mints in the
same bed, as they will grow together and lose their distinctive flavors. Keep
them separated, or grow different varieties in pots on your patio.
Pineapple Mint is hardy to Zone 5. Grow pineapple mint in full sun or partial shade in
rich, moist soil. Plants grown in sun tend to stand upright, while those that
get afternoon shade sprawl near the ground.
Keep the soil evenly moist
until the plants are well-established. Once they are growing well, you’ll only
need to water them during dry spells. The plants don’t need regular
fertilization when planted in good garden soil. Older plants become woody and
unattractive. Pull them up and let younger plants fill in the empty space.
Pinch out the
growing tips of pineapple mint plants regularly to keep them compact and bushy.
You may occasionally find solid green sprigs of mint mixed in with your
pineapple mint. These are sprigs of apple mint – the parent plant of the
pineapple mint cultivar. You should pinch them out as you find them because,
like most variegated plants, pineapple mint isn’t as vigorous as its
non-variegated parent plant, and the apple mint will soon take over.
 |
| You can see the non-variegated apple mint popping up in this bed |
The only problem with pineapple mint is that it
spreads vigorously. This can be good if you want to use it as a ground cover to
fill an area, but it will eventually find its way into the rest of the garden
unless you install a deep edging around it. Growing pineapple mint in containers is a good way to keep this and other
mints under
control, but you’ll still need to take some precautions.
The plant has been known to escape through the drainage holes in the bottoms of
pots and even jump from pot to pot in container groupings.
If you plan on planting pineapple mint in a pot, keep in mind that its
roots grow quickly. I recommend using a medium sized pot, around 12 to 15
inches deep and seven to 10 inches wide. If you are going to plant mint in the
ground, keep it away from other herbs. It will give a minty flavor to its
closely surrounding plants. On that same note, don’t plant different types of
mint next to each other, as they will loose their original flavors.
To Use
Place a couple
of fresh mint leaves in the filter with the freshly ground coffee as it brews
in the morning for a very pleasant cup of coffee. A few leaves in hot chocolate
tastes great, too. I add a couple of dried mint leaves to my sugar bowl in
summer to add flavor to the sugar, for serving to guests with iced tea. There
are a number of pineapple mint uses that make this versatile plant well worth
growing. Use it in beverages, as an attractive garnish, in potpourris and in any dish that calls for mint.
Recipes
Minty
Chickpea and Cottage Cheese Salad
1 large cup chickpeas, drained
¼ red pepper, chopped
½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
Freshly grated ginger
½ cup low-fat cottage cheese, crumbled
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Handful of fresh pineapple mint leaves, chopped
1 tsp grated lemon zest
Mix everything together and enjoy a satisfying,
summery salad.
Mango Mint Salsa
Use it as
a sauce on chicken or fish or dip into it with veggies or tortilla chips.
2 ripe mangos -- peeled and chopped
3 green onions -- finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped pineapple mint
11/2 tablespoons lime juice
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Combine all ingredients. Process
until smooth. Set aside for a minimum of
15 minutes before serving at room temperature. Keeps well, covered and
refrigerated up to a day. Makes up to 11/2 cups.
Broiled
Eggplant with Garlic Yogurt and Mint
Eggplant
broiled until it's luxuriously tender and slightly sweet from caramelization
finds great flavor contrast with a simple sauce made with tangy yogurt, pungent
garlic and fresh mint.
Eggplant is a very good source of
potassium and vitamins B1 and B6, and a good source of folic acid, magnesium,
copper, manganese and niacin. Low in calories and an excellent source of
dietary fiber, eggplant may also help lower cholesterol levels. Recently,
researchers have discovered that eggplant skin contains an anthocyanin
flavonoid called nasunin, which is a potent antioxidant and free-radical
scavenger that protects cell membranes from damage. Nasunin also helps move
excess iron out of the body.
2 eggplants (each about 1 lb), cut
crosswise into 3/4-inch slices
Nonstick cooking spray (preferably
olive oil)
1/2 tsp fine sea salt, divided
1 clove garlic, mashed
1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup packed fresh pineapple mint leaves,
chopped
Directions:
Preheat broiler, with rack set 4 to
6 inches from heat source - Broiler pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray
(preferably olive oil.) Place eggplant
on prepared pan and spray generously with cooking spray. Sprinkle with half the
salt. Broil for 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally, until very soft.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine
garlic, the remaining salt, yogurt and lemon juice.
Serve eggplant topped with garlic
yogurt and sprinkled with mint.
