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er Thymes Mints Mints & Thymes MINI I. Greek Mythology, Pluto fell in love with a nymph called Menthe. His jealous wife Proserpine bewitched Menthe, tuming her into Mint and dooming her to grow in the shadows and the damp. Famlly: Labiatae Varieties Mentha Aquatica (Water Mint) - grows with lilac flowers up to two feet , grows in Marshy spots; M. Spicata (Spearmint); M. Piperita (Peppermint) - a cross between Water and Spear mints; M. Piperita citrata ( Eau de Cologne Mint) - lemon scent; M. Suaveolens (Apple or Egyptian Mint) - pale pink flowers, downy Cologne mint with peas or citrus fruit; Spearmint in fruit drinks or with potatoes; Peppermint with fruit or as tea. leaves, apple flavour; ‘ j He E M. Villosa (Bowles Mint) - grows up to four feet, best culinary mint; M. Requienii (Corsican Mint) - tiny leaves up to one inch(2.5cm) high, : mauve flowers, strong peppermint scent, good ground cover; Family: Labiatae vi ; ' M. Pulegium (Pennyroyal) - peppermint scent, repels ants and fleas; | iarletles: Thymus Vulgaris (common Thyme); ancient sailors purified drinking water with dried pennyroyal - also an | 7Aymus Serpyllum (Mother of Thyme); dbortiiGant. T. Serpyllum westmoreland (Turkey Thyme); Mint’s Action T, Citriodorous (Lemon Thyme) - up to 18 inches high, dark green shiny leaves, lemon scent; T. Argenteus (Silver Posie Thyme) - green leaves with silver edges, pink flowers and a delicious rosemary scent; T .Citriodorous aureus (Golden Lemon Thyme) - green leaves with gold edges; T. Herbaborona (Caraway Thyme) - low growing, ma- genta flowers, caraway scent; T. Minimus (white flowers) and T. Nitidus (pink flowers) are both very Mints are Carminatives (they aid digestion, reduce gas and relax the stomach); Anti-spasmodic (relieve cramps); Aromatic (stimulate digestion, having pleasant flavour); Diaphoretic (improve the circu- lation of the extremities); Anti-Emetic (prevent Vomiting); Nervine (soothe nervous system); Antiseptic; and Analgesic (reduce pain). All mints contain menthol. Uses good as ground cover. One of the best Carminatives, mint eases hysteria and anxiety. It’s Action: Astringent (stops fluid. loss - urination, bleeding ete - by good for colic, dyspepsia and acts as a mild anaesthetic on the stomach contracting cell walls), Antiseptic, Anti-spasmodic (relieves cramps), wall, preventing nausea and vomiting. Good for travel sickness, colds, Carminative (see above), Expectorant (expels mucus from the respi- fever and influenza. As an inhalant , mints reduce nasal catarrh - or ratory tract). they can be applied externally on itchy and inflamed skin. Relieves Uses: Gargle with Thyme for tonsillitis,coughs, sore throats, mouth painful periods (dysmenhorrhea) and morning sickness. infections. Thyme tea is good for stomach or respiratory infections, Preparation: Pour one cup of boiling water onto a heaped teaspoon indigestion, asthma and bronchitis, Use externally to cleanse and of dried mint leaves, infusing for 10 minutes. Drink as required - but disinfect wounds. Thyme’s astringent action means it is good for atnight, peppermint can cause insomnia, and pregnant women should preventing diarrhoea and bed wetting. avoid pennyroyal completely. Preparation: Pour 1 cup of boiling water onto 2 teaspoons of dried Description: A perennial, mint stems have 4 sides and flower (from Thyme, stand for 10 minutes. Drink 3 times a day. white to Purple) in Summer. Description: A perennial low-growing plant with creeping Harvesting: Cut and dry the sterns (DO NOT BRUISE). When the habits.Flowers during Summer. flowers have just formed, remove and store the leaves in an airtight jar. Harvesting: Cut sprigs of Thyme for drying before and during Propagation: Since all mints hybridize easily, they should be grown fiowering - but apologise to the plant! from cuttings or by layering every three years - otherwise they revert Propagation: Except for Common Thyme and Mother of Thyme to ‘common’ Mint. (which can also be grown from seeds), all the other hybrid varieties Inthe Garden: All mints need rich well watered soil, sunshine (but (Lemon, Caraway etc.) must be produced by cuttings and rootdivision DO NOT allow leaves to scorch) and a neutral soil (pH 6 to 8). Their (since almost all hybrids are sterile), or they will revert (in this case) major disease is ‘mint rust’ (a fungus disease commom to mint and to either Common Thyme or Mother of Thyme. spearmint, causing the lower leaves to distort, becoming covered with In the garden: Thyme prefers a chalky (ie alkaline to Neutral, pH 6 small orange spore patches which travel up the stem, killing the plant. to 7) well drained soil in a Sunny position. Thyme flowers attract Bees. Remove any healthy plants and light a fire on top of the affected soil Companion Plants: Plant near cabbage to repel cabbage root fly. to destroy the spores. Thyme is beneficial to most plants. Companion Plants: Grow near cabbages (repels cabbage grub); mint Inthe kitchen: Use Thyme in soups, sandwiches, salads, herb butter also repels aphids, flies and ants. Rub Pennyroyal on pets to repel - in fact, almost anywhere. A fleas, by Brian Spears NEXUS New Times Six - Spring 1988 MINT I. Greek Mythology, Pluto fell in love with a nymph called Menthe. His jealous wife Proserpine bewitched Menthe, tuming her into Mint and dooming her to grow in the shadows and the damp. Famlly: Labiatae Varieties Mentha Aquatica (Water Mint) - grows with lilac flowers up to two feet , grows in Marshy spots; M. Spicata Sp armint), , In the kitchen: Apple mint goes well with fruit or salad; Eau de M. Piperita (Peppermint) - a cross between Water and Spear mints; | Cologne mint with peas or citrus fruit; Spearmintin fruit drinks or with M. Piperita citrata ( Eau de Cologne Mint) - lemon scent; a 5 ith frui « ‘ potatoes; Peppermint with fruit or as tea. M. Suaveolens (Apple or Egyptian Mint) - pale pink flowers, downy leaves, apple flavour; ‘ j He E M. Villosa (Bowles Mint) - grows up to four feet, best culinary mint; M. Requienii (Corsican Mint) - tiny leaves up to one inch(2.5cm) high, : mauve flowers, strong peppermint scent, good ground cover; Family: Labiatae v " [ M. Pulegium (Pennyroyal) - peppermint scent, repels ants and fleas; Varletles: Thymus Vulgaris (common Thyme), ancient sailors purified drinking water with dried pennyroyal - also an | 7Aymus Serpyllum (Mother of Thyme); dbortiiGant. T. Serpyllum westmoreland (Turkey Thyme); Mint’s Action T. Citriodorous (Lemon Thyme) - up to 18 inches high, dark green shiny leaves, lemon scent; T. Argenteus (Silver Posie Thyme) - green leaves with silver edges, pink flowers and a delicious rosemary scent; T .Citriodorous aureus (Golden Lemon Thyme) - green leaves with gold edges; T. Herbaborona (Caraway Thyme) - low growing, ma- genta flowers, caraway scent; T. Minimus (white flowers) and T. Nitidus (pink flowers) are both very Uses good as ground cover. One of the best Carminatives, mint eases hysteria and anxiety. It’s Action: Astringent (stops fluid. loss - urination, bleeding ete - by good for colic, dyspepsia and acts as a mild anaesthetic on the stomach contracting cell walls), Antiseptic, Anti-spasmodic (relieves cramps), Mints are Carminatives (they aid digestion, reduce gas and relax the stomach); Anti-spasmodic (relieve cramps); Aromatic (stimulate digestion, having pleasant flavour); Diaphoretic (improve the circu- lation of the extremities); Anti-Emetic (prevent Vomiting); Nervine (soothe nervous system); Antiseptic; and Analgesic (reduce pain). All mints contain menthol. wall, preventing nausea and vomiting. Good for travel sickness, colds, Carminative (see above), Expectorant (expels mucus from the respi- fever and influenza. As an inhalant , mints reduce nasal catarrh - or ratory tract). they can be applied externally on itchy and inflamed skin. Relieves Uses: Gargle with Thyme for tonsillitis,coughs, sore throats, mouth painful periods (dysmenhorrhea) and morning sickness. infections. Thyme tea is good for stomach or respiratory infections, Preparation: Pour one cup of boiling water onto a heaped teaspoon indigestion, asthma and bronchitis. Use externally to cleanse and of dried mint leaves, infusing for 10 minutes. Drink as required - but disinfect wounds. Thyme’s astringent action means it is good for atnight, peppermint can cause insomnia, and pregnant women should preventing diarrhoea and bed wetting. avoid pennyroyal completely. Preparation: Pour 1 cup of boiling water onto 2 teaspoons of dried Description: A perennial, mint stems have 4 sides and flower (from Thyme, stand for 10 minutes. Drink 3 times a day. white to Purple) in Summer. Description: A perennial low-growing plant with creeping Harvesting: Cut and dry the sterns (DO NOT BRUISE). When the habits.Flowers during Summer. flowers have just formed, remove and store the leaves in an airtight jar. Harvesting: Cut sprigs of Thyme for drying before and during Propagation: Since all mints hybridize easily, they should be grown fiowering - but apologise to the plant! from cuttings or by layering every three years - otherwise they revert Propagation: Except for Common Thyme and Mother of Thyme to ‘common’ Mint. (which can also be grown from seeds), all the other hybrid varieties Inthe Garden: All mints need rich well watered soil, sunshine (but (Lemon, Caraway etc.) must be produced by cuttings and rootdivision DO NOT allow leaves to scorch) and a neutral soil (pH 6 to 8). Their (since almost all hybrids are sterile), or they will revert (in this case) major disease is ‘mint rust’ (a fungus disease commom to mint and to either Common Thyme or Mother of Thyme. spearmint, causing the lower leaves to distort, becoming covered with In the garden: Thyme prefers a chalky (ie alkaline to Neutral, pH 6 small orange spore patches which travel up the stem, killing the plant. to 7) well drained soil in a Sunny position. Thyme flowers attract Bees. Remove any healthy plants and light a fire on top of the affected soil Companion Plants: Plant near cabbage to repel cabbage root fly. to destroy the spores. Thyme is beneficial to most plants. Companion Plants: Grow near cabbages (repels cabbage grub); mint Inthe kitchen: Use Thyme in soups, sandwiches, salads, herb butter also repels aphids, flies and ants. Rub Pennyroyal on pets to repel - in fact, almost anywhere. A fleas, by Brian Spears NEXUS New Times Six - Spring 1988 MINT I. Greek Mythology, Pluto fell in love with a nymph called Menthe. His jealous wife Proserpine bewitched Menthe, tuming her into Mint and dooming her to grow in the shadows and the damp. Famlly: Labiatae VUaniating Varieties THYME Mint’s Action Uses Natural Medicine