# watermint (*Mentha aquatica*) Watermint is a lovely plant that grows near water. It has bright green leaves and a fresh, minty smell that many people love. It's often used in drinks and desserts to add flavor! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![watermint](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Mentha_aquatica_02.jpg&width=800) Photo: Burschik at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mentha_aquatica_02.jpg) ## Appearance The watermint has distinctive square, often hairy stems and rounded, toothed leaves. Its tiny, tubular flowers are typically pale pink to lilac and grow in dense, spherical clusters at the top of the stems. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Lamiales - **Family:** Lamiaceae - **Genus:** Mentha ## Interesting facts - Crush a leaf to smell its pepperminty aroma; it's like a natural air freshener! - Its scientific name, Mentha, is said to come from a mythological Greek nymph! - The unique square shape of its stem is a signature trait of all plants in the mint family! - This mint can grow with its roots completely underwater, making it a true aquatic survivor! ## Special abilities - **Water Loving:** Watermint can grow directly in shallow water or very wet soil, helping it thrive where other plants struggle. - **Underground Spread:** Watermint uses creeping underground stems called rhizomes to quickly spread and colonize new wet areas. - **Fragrant Defense:** It produces a strong, minty scent when touched, which helps deter some herbivores from eating its leaves. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-90 cm - **Spread:** 30-100 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.3-0.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer to early Fall - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Collects nectar and pollen from flowers. - **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — Important pollinator of its flowers. - **Eats:** Great pond snail (*Lymnaea stagnalis*) — Browses on its submerged leaves and stems. - **Shelter:** Common frog (*Rana temporaria*) — Uses the dense foliage for cover and hunting. ## Traits - [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. - [Spice](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spice): This human use trait indicates species from which spices are derived, used for flavoring, preserving food, or as aromatic agents. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always wash your hands after touching plants, and don't eat any you find without asking an adult. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify watermint? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is watermint? 30-90 cm ### How wide does watermint spread? 30-100 cm ### How big are the flowers on watermint? 0.3-0.5 cm ### When does watermint bloom? Summer to early Fall ### Is watermint edible? Yes ### Is watermint toxic? None ### What is watermint's lifecycle? Perennial ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Watermint: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/watermint)