Kendall County (IL) Forest Preserve District
Wild
Mint
(Field Mint)
Mentha arvensis [C-value 5]
Mint family (Lamiaceae)
Blooms mid-July -
September
Wild Mint is common in our area. It is believed to be a native to this area although it is similar to a Eurasian variety. It prefers full sun to light shade and moist rich organic soil in marshes, fens and moist disturbed areas. It is a rambling, fragrant, branching perennial, ½–1½' tall, with square hairy stems and pairs of opposite, lance-shaped, toothed leaves, 1-2½" long and ½–1" wide. The flowers occur in whorls at the axils of upper leaves. They are tubular, with an upper 2-lobed lip and a lower 3-lobed lip. Each flower is about 1/8" long, and may be white, pink, or lavender.
Wild Mint at Lyon Forest Preserve fen July 22, 2015
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