Mentha × gentilis
Mentha × gentilis
Safety & Hazards
Although no records of toxicity have been seen for this species, large quantities of some members of this genus, especially when taken in the form of the extracted essential oil, can cause abortions so some caution is advised.
Botanical Description
Mentha x gracilis is a perennial plant that can grow up to 0.45 metres tall. Ginger mint is cultivated in European gardens (predominantly West, Central and N Europe) as a medicinal and aromatic plant. Early reports go back to 1600 when it was grown in gardens of Lusatia (E Germany). Today it is one of the most common Mentha races in German gardens. Cultivated on larger fields in the USA (Michigan, Indiana) and commercially in southern England. The essential oil is mainly used for flavouring chewing gum[ 317 Title Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants Publication Author Website http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336 Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Terse details of a huge range of useful plants. ]. The plant is also harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.