Apple-mint
Mentha × villosa
Synonyms: Mentha sylvestris var. glabrata, Mentha × lamyi, Mentha × niliaca subsp. timbalii, Mentha × velutina, Mentha × controversa, Mentha × niliaca var. webberi, Mentha sylvestris subsp. velutina, Mentha × villosa var. cladodes, Mentha × villosa var. allieriensis, Mentha × niliaca var. lamarckii, Mentha × chloreilema, Mentha × villosa var. candicans, Mentha × nicholsoniana, Mentha × niliaca var. microdonta, Mentha × similis, Mentha × billotiana, Mentha × malyi, Mentha × villosa var. dossiniana, Mentha longifolia var. mosoniensis, Mentha × benthamiana, Mentha × alopecuroides, Mentha × genevensis, Mentha mollissima f. speciosa, Mentha × nemorosa var. dumortieri, Mentha × villosa var. morrenii, Mentha spicata var. scotica, Mentha × rhenana, Mentha × villosa var. cordifolia, Mentha × velutina var. genevensis, Mentha × villosa var. soluta, Mentha × lamarckii, Mentha × moesiaca, Mentha sylvestris subsp. chloreilema, Mentha sylvestris var. alopecuroides, Mentha × cordifolia, Mentha longifolia subsp. dumortieri, Mentha × villosa var. cirrita, Mentha × villosa var. dumortieri, Mentha × timbalii, Mentha × villosa subvar. exserta, Mentha × villosa var. speciosa, Mentha × alopecuroides var. microdonta, Mentha × nemorosa subsp. artiglandulosa, Mentha × villosa f. amaurophylla, Mentha × villosa var. serrigera, Mentha viridis f. cordifolia, Mentha sylvestris var. villosa, Mentha × velutina var. lithuanica, Mentha sylvestris subsp. nemorosa, Mentha sylvestris f. nemorosa, Mentha sylvestris var. gratissima, Mentha × lycopifolia, Mentha × rotundifolia var. webberi, Mentha sylvestris var. origanoides, Mentha × villosa f. garrontei, Mentha × villosa var. microdonta, Mentha × villosa var. calabrica, Mentha × villosa f. chaunostachya, Mentha × dumortieri, Mentha × alopecuroides var. lamarckii, Mentha × niliaca var. promecophylla, Mentha × longistachya, Mentha longifolia var. cordifolia, Mentha × villosa var. incanotomentosa, Mentha × villosa var. elencta, Mentha × villosa var. heterophylla, Mentha × villosa var. gnaphalophyta, Mentha × rotundifolia var. velutina, Mentha × morrenii var. latiforns, Mentha × nemorosa var. incanotomentosa, Mentha suaveolens var. posoniensis, Mentha × niliaca var. alopecuroides, Mentha × villosa var. billotiana, Mentha × villosa var. lamarckii, Mentha × villosa subvar. inclusa, Mentha × chlorostachya, Mentha × villosa var. genevensis, Mentha × niliaca var. nemorosa, Mentha sylvestris var. longifolia, Mentha × niliaca var. genevensis, Mentha × morrenii, Mentha viridis var. cordifolia, Mentha × pulverulenta, Mentha × nemorosa, Mentha × niliaca var. velutina, Mentha × nemorosa var. morrenii, Mentha × villosa var. marginalis, Mentha × villosa var. albovelutina, Mentha × villosa f. hortivaga, Mentha × villosa var. nicholsoniana, Mentha × niliaca var. moniliformis, Mentha × niliaca var. discincta, Mentha longifolia var. dumortieri, Mentha × scotica, Mentha × villosa var. pulchriceps, Mentha sylvestris var. virescens, Mentha × malyi var. auryensis, Mentha × villosa f. noalhatiana, Mentha × amaurophylla var. rugosa, Mentha × lamarckii var. lithuanica, Mentha × villosa subsp. lamyi, Mentha × thurmannii, Mentha × niliacea, Mentha × villosa var. nemorosa, Mentha × rotundifolia subsp. velutina, Mentha × nemorosa subsp. timbalii, Mentha × nemorosa var. velutina, Mentha × niliaca subsp. velutina, Mentha sylvestris subsp. dumortieri, Mentha × rotundifolia subsp. alopecuroides, Mentha × villosa f. leptodentata, Mentha spicata var. cordifolia, Mentha × villosa var. lycopifolia, Mentha × villosa f. lamyi, Mentha × rigoi, Mentha × villosa var. amaurophylla, Mentha × bolzanensis, Mentha × villosa var. emarginata, Mentha × mosoniensis, Mentha × veneta, Mentha × villosa var. velutinella, Mentha × incanescens, Mentha × villosa var. heterochroma, Mentha × niliaca var. nicholsoniana, Mentha sylvestris var. nemorosa, Mentha × villosa var. recondita, Mentha × velutina var. hortivaga, Mentha viridis var. rugosa, Mentha × villosa var. salicetorum, Mentha × dossiniana, Mentha × gillotii, Mentha × villosa f. pascuicola, Mentha × emarginata, Mentha × floccida, Mentha × villosa var. alopecuroides, Mentha × amaurophylla, Mentha × lamarckii var. hortivaga, Mentha × latifrons, Mentha × villosa var. semeiodes, Mentha × niliaca var. notarisii, Mentha × pascuicola, Mentha × villosa var. similis, Mentha × speciosa, Mentha × villosa var. gratissima, Mentha × villosa var. gillotii, Mentha × niliaca var. similis, Mentha × villosa var. viridiatra, Mentha × gratissima, Mentha × villosa f. gillotii
Western Herbalism Properties
Gallery
Botanical Description
Mentha × villosa, the apple-mint or hairy mint (also widely known as mojito mint or yerba buena in Cuba and the Philippines), is a herbaceous rhizomatous perennial in the Lamiaceae of hybrid origin, derived from a cross between Mentha spicata and Mentha suaveolens. Plants grow 30 to 60 centimeters tall on smooth square stems from wide-spreading fleshy rhizomes with fibrous roots. The opposite ovate leaves are softly pubescent, wrinkled, with serrate margins and a sweet apple-mint aroma. Small pale lilac to white two-lipped flowers are borne in terminal cylindrical spikes through summer. The taxon is widely cultivated for its aromatic foliage and for culinary use; it is a core ingredient of the Cuban mojito cocktail and a staple Caribbean and Filipino kitchen herb. Native to temperate Europe, it now grows worldwide in meadows, pastures and ruderal habitats and has been recognized by the Philippine Department of Health among ten endorsed medicinal plants.
Cultural & Historical Context
Traditional American Uses
In Caribbean and Latin American folk medicine apple-mint (yerba buena) leaves are taken as an aromatic infusion as a carminative for indigestion, flatulence and colic, and as a remedy for cough, headache and nausea (Cano and Volpato, 2004).
Chemistry & External Identifiers
Important Disclaimer
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.