Spearmint (Mentha spicata) — Plotwright

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Spearmint

Habit (mature) · Commonists / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Spearmint

Mentha spicata

A vigorous spreading perennial mint forming dense colonies via aggressive underground rhizomes. Leaves are the canonical 'mint' flavor (toothpaste, gum, mojitos, lamb dishes). NC State + every herb reference flags Mentha species as highly invasive in garden beds — container-only siting is the standard recommendation. Small pink-to-white summer flowers worked heavily by bees + small pollinators.

Review: Source-backed

Climate fit: moderate (69/100)

Edible

Pollinator

Filler

Light

Full sun / Part shade

Water

Consistent moisture

Mature size

12-36" tall · 18" apart

Hardy in zones

3a-11

brutally cold to nearly frost-free winters

Summer heat range

Cool-Hot

cool to hot summers Interim Plotwright tier until the plant AHS range is authored.

Native in Illinois

No

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Cold hardiness

Now

Zone 6b

USDA

Chicago, IL · 1991-2020 average annual coldest day

Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (1991-2020 climatology) via ArcGIS FeatureServer

Well-suited

2050

Zone 7b

Plotwright

Your zone + climate-model shift · SSP3-7.0 (regional rivalry)

Well-suited

In plain terms: cold winters — coldest nights typically around -3°F.

✓

Well-suited today and still thriving in 2050.

Heat tolerance

°C

°F

Loading current AHS heat-zone and plant heat-fit data at your coordinates…

Where this plant fits

Suitable across 45 ecoregions — 45 climate-resilient through 2070. Best matches first.

Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests

Appalachian-Blue Ridge forests

Arizona Mountains forests

Atlantic coastal pine barrens

Blue Mountains forests

California coastal sage and chaparral

Canadian Aspen forests and parklands

Central Pacific Northwest coastal forests

Central Tallgrass prairie

Central-Southern Cascades Forests

Sources & citations

Cite this page

For lesson plans, articles, or research that uses this page. To cite a single upstream fact instead, use its specific source listed below.

Plotwright. (2026, May 17). Spearmint (Mentha spicata). Retrieved 2026, June 5, from https://plotwright.garden/plants/spearmint

Sources for every fact

Every fact on this page traces to a source. 18 fields cited — 18 source-backed.

NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

University extension service

Backs 17 fields

Identity

Summary

Plant type

Light

Moisture

Hardiness

Heat zone

Size

Spacing

Habit

Design roles

Seasonal interest

Growth stages

Lifecycle

Regional guidance

Success tips

Designer notes

Wikimedia Commons

Photo · CC BY-SA 4.0

Backs 1 field

Image

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The photos above are our reviewed reference set, curated for accuracy.

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