Edible plant - novice Season - spring to autumn Common names Water mint, marsh mint
Scientific name meaning: In Greek mythology, the nymph Minthe tried to seduce Hades but Hades' queen, Persephone, turned Minthe into a sweet-smelling plant. Minthe's name is the origin of Mentha. The species name, aquatica, is of Latin origin and means belonging to the water
Habitat  Water mint can be found in wet places such as ponds, streams, rivers, dykes, damp woodlands, fens and marshes. It is a native of Europe, Africa and Asia. |
Overall structure  A tall, leggy plant reaching 90cm. Like other mints, water mint spreads via rhizomes (runners). Usually these are underground and cannot be seen. If water mint is growing in water of any decent depth, the runners can often be seen sprawling out just under the surface. |
Leaves  The leaves bluntly to finely serrated edges and are roughly oval in shape. They appear in opposing pairs rotated alternately at 180 degrees along the length of the square stem. When crushed they smell strongly of mint. They can sometimes be slightly hairy. |
Stems and runners  The square stem can be hairless or sparsely hairy. There is often purple colouring on it. Where the stem touches the water, roots often appear. |
Flower  The flower heads appear from summer to autumn, are spherical in shape and emerge from the leaf nodes. There is also a terminal flower head at the top of the flower stem. The flower heads contain lots of small pink-lilac flowers. |
Seeds  The seeds are tiny and dark brown/black. |
Possible lookalikes  Could be easily mistaken with many members of the mint (dead-nettle) family, which superficially look very similar, such as the lemon balm (Melissa officinalis). Many of these relatives are also considered edible, however, some are not pleasant. The smell of mint would be the determining factor. |
Use as a food Water mint can be used the same as any other mint, such as for jellies, syrups, flavouring hot dishes and salads, or used to make a tea. See hazards. Hazards Although there are no specific incidents associated with this species, excessive consumption of mint oil, for example in distilled form, has been link to miscarriage, kidney failure and diarrhoea.
In the UK, there is a waterborne sheep parasite called liver fluke that can affect humans. When harvesting from water, it is best to thoroughly cook any plant that is suspected of ever being below the water line in order to destroy any liver fluke that are present. Only plant material that has absolutely not been below the waterline or not had any possible contact with grazing animal faecal matter should be considered for eating uncooked
Use in herbal medicine and medicine Similar to other mints, water mint has been used to treat digestive upsets, headaches, and oral hygiene problems. In addition, it has been used as an antiseptic, antispasmodic, vasodilator and to induce vomiting and fever
If you are suffering from any ailment or need medical advice, please see your General Practitioner Other uses The flowers were once placed about grain stores to keep rodents away Importance to other species The flowers provide a source of nectar for pollinators
Always stay safe when foraging. You need to be 100% sure of your identification, 100% sure that your foraged item is edible, and 100% sure that you are not allergic to it (it is good practice to always try a small amount of any new food you are consuming). If in doubt, leave it out!
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