Taxon:  Mentha ×gracilis Sole



Summary
Genus:
Mentha
Section:
Mentha
Family:
Lamiaceae (alt. Labiatae)
Subfamily:
Nepetoideae
Tribe:
Mentheae
Subtribe:
Menthinae
Nomen number:
313240
Place of publication:
Menth. brit. 37, t. 16.  1798
Hybrid parentage:
= Mentha arvensis × M. spicata
Verified:
09/20/2011 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
25 (25  active, 0  available) in National Plant Germplasm System.  (Map it)
Other conspecific taxa
Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations
Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Mentha ×cardiaca J. Gerard ex Baker
Mentha ×muelleriana F. W. Schultz

Invalid Designation(s)
Mentha ×gentilis auct.
No images


Conservation Status

Reference(s)
  1. University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
  2. Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
  3. APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
  4. Botanical Society of the British Isles. BSBI taxon database (on-line resource).
  5. Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 1553.
  6. Fenwick, A. L. & S. M. Ward. 2001. Use of Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA markers for cultivar identification in mint. HortScience 36:761-764. Note: it comments that Mentha × gracilis is one of the two taxa used as a source of commercial mint oil in the United States
  7. Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6
  8. Harley, R. M. & T. Reynolds, eds. 1992. Advances in labiate science 400.
  9. Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
  10. Kartesz, J. T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland.
  11. Mabberley, D. J. 1997. The plant-book: a portable dictionary of the vascular plants, ed. 2
  12. Markle, G. M. et al., eds. 1998. Food and feed crops of the United States, ed. 2
  13. McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
  14. Porcher, M. H. et al. Searchable World Wide Web Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database (MMPND) (on-line resource).
  15. Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
  16. Saric-Kundalic, B. et al. 2009. Multivariate numerical taxonomy of Mentha species, hybrids, varieties and cultivars. Sci. Pharm. 77:851-876.
  17. Sell, P. & G. Murrell. 1996-. Flora of Great Britain and Ireland.
  18. Tucker, A. O. & D. E. Fairbrothers. 1990. The origin of Mentha ×gracilis (Lamiaceae). I. Chromosome numbers, fertility, and three morphological characters. Econ. Bot. 44:183-213. Note: resynthesized this sterile hybrid by crossing Mentha arvensis × M. spicata, one hybrid "matched clones of M. × gracilis with chromosome number of 2n=60
  19. Tucker, A. O. & R. F. C. Naczi. 2007. Mentha: an overview of its classification and relationships. In: Lawrence, B. M., ed., Mint: the genus Mentha 30. Note: as "often cultivated"
  20. Tucker, A. O. et al. 1991. The origin of Mentha ×gracilis (Lamiaceae). II. Essential oils. Econ. Bot. 45:200-215.
  21. 2018. Mid-Atlantic invasive plant species (on-line resource)
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
Englishbushy mint  1Botanical Society of the British Isles. BSBI taxon database (on-line resource).
Englishcardiac mint  1Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6
Englishginger mint  1Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
Englishred mint  1Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
EnglishScotch mint but this adjective is best avoided, may cause offence in Scotland1Mabberley, D. J. 1997. The plant-book: a portable dictionary of the vascular plants, ed. 2
EnglishScotch spearmint but this adjective is best avoided, may cause offence in Scotland1Harley, R. M. & T. Reynolds, eds. 1992. Advances in labiate science 400.
EnglishScottish mint  1Mabberley, D. J. 1997. The plant-book: a portable dictionary of the vascular plants, ed. 2
EnglishScottish spearmint  1Harley, R. M. & T. Reynolds, eds. 1992. Advances in labiate science 400.
Frenchmenthe des jardins  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
GermanEdelminze  2Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6
GermanGartenminze  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Italianmenta romana  2Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6
Spanishalmoradux  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Swedishädelmynta  2Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
2CultivatedEurope Europe  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
2CultivatedNorthern America United States  Markle, G. M. et al., eds. 1998. Food and feed crops of the United States, ed. 2
4NaturalizedEuropeEastern EuropeBelarus  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeEastern EuropeRussian Federation-European partEuropean part Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeMiddle EuropeAustria  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeMiddle EuropeBelgium  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeMiddle EuropeCzechoslovakia  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeMiddle EuropeGermany  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeMiddle EuropeHungary  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeMiddle EuropeNetherlands  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeMiddle EuropeSwitzerland  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeNorthern EuropeDenmark  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeNorthern EuropeFinland  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeNorthern EuropeIreland  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeNorthern EuropeSweden  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeNorthern EuropeUnited Kingdom  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeSoutheastern EuropeFormer Yugoslavia  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeSoutheastern EuropeItaly  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeSoutheastern EuropeRomania  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeSouthwestern EuropeFrance incl. CorsicaTutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeSouthwestern EuropePortugal  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeSouthwestern EuropeSpain  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
Cultivated
Europe
  • REGION: Europe
Northern America
  • REGION: United States
Naturalized
Europe
  • NORTHERN EUROPE: Denmark, Finland, United Kingdom, Ireland, Sweden
  • MIDDLE EUROPE: Czechoslovakia, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands
  • EASTERN EUROPE: Russian Federation-European part [European part], Belarus
  • SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE: Former Yugoslavia, Italy, Romania
  • SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE: Spain, France (incl. Corsica), Portugal

Reference(s)
  1. Markle, G. M. et al., eds. 1998. Food and feed crops of the United States, ed. 2
  2. Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Food additivesflavoring Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6
Materialsessential oils Harley, R. M. & T. Reynolds, eds. 1992. Advances in labiate science 400.
Materialsessential oilscommercially cultivatedTucker, A. O. & D. E. Fairbrothers. 1990. The origin of Mentha ×gracilis (Lamiaceae). I. Chromosome numbers, fertility, and three morphological characters. Econ. Bot. 44:183-213. Note: resynthesized this sterile hybrid by crossing Mentha arvensis × M. spicata, one hybrid "matched clones of M. × gracilis with chromosome number of 2n=60
Medicinesfolklore McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=313240. Accessed 12 May 2026.