Peppermint

Mentha piperita.

The origin of this perennial medicinal plant with a height of 30-90 cm is not exactly established. Many consider it the birthplace of the country of the Mediterranean and the northern regions of Egypt, others - China and Japan. The remains of mint were found in the Egyptian tombs of the period XII-VI centuries BC.e. In Europe, it fell, probably due to travelers, crusaders and monks. Already fifteen hundred years before Christ in Egypt, peppermint was used as a medicinal plant. No less than the Egyptians like spice mint revered and used in Japan. In ancient Rome, in order to create a cheerful mood among the guests, they were rubbed with fresh mint leaves, and the rooms were sprayed with mint water. In the Middle Ages, students were recommended to wear mint wreaths on their heads during classes to improve brain function. The priority of using mint as an etheriferous plant also belongs, apparently, to the Egyptians, who for 410 years before our era learned to extract and receive mint essential oil by hydrodistillation. England became the first European country where mint was introduced into the culture, however about As with most spicy plants, mint is demanding for lighting conditions. When grown in a shady place, the essential oil content decreases, which sometimes makes the smell more subtle, and the greens are more suitable for fresh use. With a limited number of illuminated sites, they can be used for more light-loving crops, and mint as a shade-tolerant culture to place in some shading. Mint is undemanding to heat. It is well wintered in a temperate zone and tolerates frosts to -25-30 ° C under sufficient snow cover.

In Russia, "English" mint( as it was then called) came only in the late XIX century. Originally it was grown for use in tobacco production and soap making, and later for essential oil.

Perennial herbaceous family of the family clearing, or, the girlfriend of the classification, the family Labiatae( Labiatae).Species name is given in honor of the ancient Greek goddess Menty - patroness of forests, meadows and rivers. In the Roman mythology, Menta personified the human mind. It was believed that the plant, named by its name, activates the activity of the brain. The famous naturalist of Ancient Rome, Pliny the Elder recommended his disciples constantly wear wreaths of mint on their heads - so that the brain actively and productively worked. At feasts in ancient Rome, before the arrival of distinguished guests, the banquet halls were sprayed with mint infusion, and the floors were rubbed with fresh leaves of mint. This was to contribute to the creation of a cheerful and carefree atmosphere of the festival.

In Russia, mint was very popular and popular. Her grass, collected in Troitsyn day, the girls put under the pillow to see in the dream of the future groom.

Peppermint is also called mint cold mint, English mint.

With a height of up to 50 cm, it can reach a height of 80-100 cm. The roots are slightly muscular, thin. Rhizome branched, almost horizontal. The stem is branchy, tetrahedral, densely bred. Leaves are simple, short-petioled, elongate-ovoid, pointed, along edge edged, on both sides covered with essential oil glands. Blooms from late June to September. Flowers are small, pink or pale violet, collected in a spicate inflorescence. Fruit - four nuts.

The smell of mint can not be confused with some other flavor. Without it, there would not be many common things - soft drinks, liqueurs, sweets, fragrant teas, chewing gum, toothpaste. .. Mint is the most popular means of both folk and official medicine. Thanks to this plant, many drugs have appeared that have stood the test of time: Validol and Corvalolum, Zelenin drops, menthol pencils and lozenges, tooth elixirs.

In the herb garden you can grow any sort of peppermint with the liked aroma: Riddle, Krasnodar, Kuban, Muscovite, Prilukskaya, Medicinal. Many will have to taste and mint curly, the cultivation of which does not differ from the cultivation of peppermint.

Description: plant with tetrahedral branchy stem, densely covered with spear-shaped peaked-ocheid leaves with serrate margins. Blossoms from June to September. Flowers are small on short stalks from pale lilac to purple, located at the ends of the stems, collected in whorls, turning into spikelets. Calyx flowers are glabrous or covered with sparse hairs, grooved, bilabiate, corolla violet, funnel-shaped or slightly dou- ble, 4 stamens and upper testis. Fruits - nuts. The root is filiform, leaving to the ground to a depth of 2 m.

Mint types

Mentha crispa: mint crisp

Mentha xpiperita: peppermint with purple and pink or white flowers

Mintha X piperita citrata: peppermint

Mentha spicata: mint green

Mentha suaveolens: mint apple

Mentha suaveolens "Bowels": Pineapple Mint

Composition: contains up to 2.5 % essential oil, the main component of it is menthol, which mint due to its characteristic cooling odor, tannins, flavonoids and bitterness. There are varieties of mint, which contain up to 80 % menthol in the essential oil. In addition, leaves and mint inflorescences contain organic acids, carotene, ascorbic acid, rutin and valuable trace elements.

Cultivation of : mint loves moisture, is demanding of soil fertility. It grows well on chernozems, loamy and sandy loamy soils with clayey subsoil that ensures moisture retention. On heavy swampy acid soils, plants develop very weak.

Propagates vegetatively with the aid of creeping rhizomes that extend from the root collar. In the middle belt, planting of mint is best done in the spring, and in the southern areas it is possible in spring and autumn. The soil for mint should be prepared from autumn: remove the remnants of the previous crop, thoroughly dig and remove the weeds, especially the rhizomes of perennial weeds. As a foregoing, it is good to use a culture, under which organic fertilizers were introduced. It is undesirable to apply organic fertilizers directly under peppermint, as it at the same time develops an abundant green mass, but the aromatic nature of the plant decreases. In spring, on heavy compacted soils, digging is carried out, and on the lungs it is enough to loosen to a depth of 10-12 cm. On the area prepared for planting, make furrows at a distance of 45-60 cm with a depth of 8-10 cm. Frozen mint roots are laid on the bottom of the furrows,and compact. Peppermint is cultivated in one place for several years and grows rapidly. Therefore, when using mint planting for many years( 5-6 years), it is advisable to keep the distance in rows between plants of 20-30 cm. In addition to the rhizomes for reproduction, it is possible to use rooted shoots, which are also planted according to the indicated scheme. Mint care consists of loosening the soil, weeding and watering in arid weather. Top dressing with mineral fertilizers is carried out on poor soils in the spring.

Collection of : the collection of leaves is done several times a season, the grass is harvested before the beginning of flowering, when it reaches a height of 20-30 cm. Dry the grass quickly at a temperature of 35 ° C to avoid loss of valuable essential oil. Raw materials are laid out in the shade a thin layer on fabric or paper or bundled in bundles and suspended in a well-ventilated place.

Medicinal properties: menthol has a disinfectant and analgesic effect. Promotes digestion. It is used for asthma, colds, cough, liver and gallbladder diseases, flatulence, digestive tract disorders, stomach diseases, with neuroses and headache.

Application of : mint has a pleasant minty smell, it has a refreshing effect. The taste is cold, refreshing, spicy-minty. In pharmaceuticals from peppermint medicinal teas are prepared, included in the composition of medicinal herbal preparations, tinctures and syrups are made. Essential oil of peppermint and pure menthol are included in many medicines. It is used in the production of liqueurs, in the confectionery industry and cosmetics.

Plant of the family of the clearing, perennial, rhizome, annually renewing the aboveground part. To the soil, mint is undemanding, but on good soils gives a high yield of green mass. The plant is relatively frost-resistant, very hygrophilous, demanding for good lighting in the first period of growth from the seeds. An adult plant can grow in partial shade, so mint can be grown under trees. When multiplying by dividing the rhizome or layers of mint immediately planted in the penumbra.

It should be said that mint grows in all directions, quickly grabbing all the space around itself and displacing neighbors. I recommend limiting it by dropping an abyss into an old bucket. For one family, this amount of mint is enough.

Mint flowers in July-August. At the time of flowering, the entire aboveground part of the plant is cut, tied into bundles and dried under a canopy so that the direct sun does not fall on it. When the mint dries well, it is necessary to put on the mitt and tear the leaves and flowers off the rods, fold them into paper bags, close and store them in a dry room.

The most interesting is peppermint, which has two varieties: black( with red-brown stems and leaves) and white( with green leaves).

Prized black peppermint, for a high content of menthol( up to 65%), but white mint has the same medicinal properties as black, it just contains less menthol.

Fresh leaves are useful to add to tea. Dried leaves are used to flavor vinegar, add to the tea blends.

Peppermint has a calming and choleretic effect.

Mint infusion helps with nausea. With the use of mint, Validol and other cardiac preparations are prepared.

Menthol oil is used in the distillery, confectionery and cosmetic industries. In addition, mint is a good honey plant and attracts insect pollinators into the garden.