Corsican mint

Corsican mint: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Low, creeping mat only 1–2 cm tall, spreading to about 30 cm wide. The stems root at the nodes.

Leaves

Tiny, round to oval, 3–6 mm, light green and finely hairy; evergreen, but sometimes brown after hard winters.

Flowers

Minute lilac to pale pink flowers in June–August, almost lost among the foliage.

Scent

Strong peppermint when you touch the leaves or walk on them.

Roots

Shallow and fibrous; it roots wherever the stems touch the ground.

Flowering: June–August · Harvest and fruit: May–September · Plants: April–May and September

Why grow it?

• A soft, moss-like mat only 1–2 cm tall that softens paths and stepping stones.
• Gives off a strong peppermint smell when trodden on: a little plant to let creep along your terrace.
• Likes moist soil, so it suits a shady, damp corner, a pond edge or a water trough.
• The minute lilac flowers in summer attract bees and other insects.
• Edible in small amounts: a fresh garnish for desserts and drinks.

Corsican mint: where does it grow best?

• Sun to part shade; in full sun it only stays good-looking if the soil stays moist.
• Moist, humus-rich yet free-draining soil: sand or loam, acid to chalky.
• Keep it lightly moist at all times in summer: it dries out quickly and turns brown.
• A sheltered spot, preferably not waterlogged or compacted soil in winter.
• Space plants 10–15 cm apart between stepping stones or in paving cracks; one plant covers about 20–30 cm in a season.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand or loam

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Normal or wet

Size

0.02 m tall, 0.3 m wide

Hardiness

Half hardy (to -10 °C): protect it in harsh winters

Goes well with

• Creeping thyme: A fragrant, sun-loving neighbour that also tolerates treading, though in slightly drier spots.
• Saxifrage: Low rosettes and tiny flowers between stones.
• Lady’s mantle: A soft, yellow froth in part shade above the mat.

Corsican mint: when and how to plant it?

Plant in April–May and September.

1. Plant in April–May or in September, when the soil is not frozen.
2. Loosen the cracks or planting spot, remove weeds and mix a little compost into the soil.
3. Set small plants or rooted pieces 10–15 cm apart, at the same depth as in the pot.
4. Firm the plants in and water generously straight away; keep the soil moist for the first few weeks.
5. If you like, sprinkle a thin layer of fine grit or compost between the plants to reduce drying out.

Care

Water

In summer keep the soil lightly moist at all times, especially in full sun and in hot weather. In a pot, water often, but never let it stand wet.

Feeding

Rarely needed. In spring a thin layer of compost or a little organic fertiliser; in a pot, a little liquid feed every 4 weeks.

Treading

It tolerates light treading between stepping stones, but do not walk on a dense mat as if it were a lawn.

Weeds

Pull weeds out by hand from the mat so the small plants are not smothered.

Dividing

Divide the mat every 2–3 years if it becomes bare or dies out in the centre.

Tip: Keep the soil lightly moist at all times in summer and pot up a few pieces as a reserve for a hard winter. Walk over it gently: the scent is the best part.

Corsican mint: when to prune it?

When: You hardly prune it. In April tidy it up after winter; after that a snip with scissors is enough.

How:

• In April cut away brown or dead pieces and gently loosen the mat.
• Keep the edges in check by snipping off or cutting away runners that creep onto paths.
• After flowering you can lightly trim the mat for a denser, fresher carpet.
• Pull out weeds by hand.

Caution: Do not cut it in winter: the leaves protect the plant from frost and cold wet weather.

Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Division and separating

In spring or autumn, detach a rooted piece from the edge and replant it elsewhere; keep it moist for the first few weeks. This is the easiest and quickest method.

Seed

The seeds are very small: in spring scatter on moist compost, do not cover them and keep them moist. It sometimes sows itself.

Corsican mint: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −10 °C: protect in harsh winters.

• Hardy to about −10 °C, but in hard or wet winters it can die off, especially without snow cover.
• In severe frost cover the spot with horticultural fleece or a thin layer of dry leaves; remove the cover in spring.
• Make sure the soil drains well in winter: cold, wet roots are more dangerous than frost alone.
• Pot up a few pieces and keep them in a cold frame or unheated greenhouse as a reserve.

Diseases and pests

• Drying out: Brown patches in summer from heat and drought. Water regularly, especially in full sun, and spread a thin layer of mulch between the plants.
• Winter damage: Brown, dead patches after a hard winter. Wait until spring, cut off the brown parts and fill gaps with new pieces.
• Weeds: Grass or other weeds push through the mat. Remove them by hand as soon as you see them.
• Slugs and mint rust: Slugs gnaw young leaves; rust gives orange powder under the leaves. Collect slugs and cut off affected pieces without spreading them.

Through the year

• March: Look at winter damage. Remove protection.
• April: Tidy up and trim. Plant. Fill gaps.
• May: Plant. Water. Thin layer of compost.
• June: Flowering starts. Keep moist.
• July: Flowering. Water in dry spells.
• August: Last flowers. Water. Divide.
• September: Plant and divide. Pot up reserve pieces.
• October: Remove fallen leaves from the mat.
• November: Put the reserve pot somewhere cold but frost-free.
• December: Rest. Cover in severe frost.

Edible and useful

Leaves (May–September)

From May to September, snip a few tips from the carpet with scissors, preferably from a spot where nobody walks. The tiny leaves taste very strongly of peppermint, far more powerful than ordinary mint: a few leaves are enough for a whole plate. Use them fresh and whole as a garnish, on strawberries, fruit salad, chocolate or ice cream, or a single leaf in a glass of water or lemonade. Give them a quick rinse, as the carpet grows between stepping stones, close to the ground.

Storing

Pick just before use: the leaves are so small that they wilt quickly. In a box with damp kitchen paper they keep for a day in the fridge. Drying is not worth it, but freezing them in ice cubes is (see the recipe). The plant itself is your best store.

Caution: Corsican mint contains a lot of pulegone, the same potent compound as in pennyroyal, which harms the liver in large amounts: use it only as a garnish, a pinch of leaves at a time, and do not make tea, syrup or liqueur from it. Not during pregnancy or breastfeeding, nor for young children, and never swallow the essential oil. Only pick from your own, unsprayed plant.

Eating and using is at your own risk: see the terms of use.

Recipes

• Corsican mint ice cubes (Other · ± 24 ice cubes · 10 min + 4 hrs freezing)
• Strawberries with Corsican mint and lemon (Dish · 4 people · 25 min)

Did you know?

• Mentha requienii is one of the smallest mints in the world: the leaves are only 3–6 mm across.
• The species is named after Esprit Requien (1788–1851), a French botanist from Avignon who explored Corsica.
• The scent is held in minute oil glands in the foliage: it is only released when you touch the leaves or walk on them.