Fuzzy Mint: What Is It?

Growing up we had a mint at home that was (of course!) prolific. It

was a lighter

soft green color, with larger leaves than most mints I see today. It

had a mild mint

flavor, leaning toward spearminty. But it's most outstanding

characteristic was that

the leaves were fuzzy like a peach. We shared it with many people in

the town,

and all the places I've gone to look for it, it's been gone. It grew

at the family

home for at least four generations, but the new owners sprayed it all

with herbicide

since it was so invasive.
Any ideas on what variety of mint it is/was? Or where I might be able

to get

some more? I always have my eyes open at local plant shops, old

homesteads, etc.

Thanks. And thanks for a great herb resource. I just discovered your

website

and can't wait to get your catalog.

The mint you are looking for could be a form of apple mint. The basic form of apple mint (Mentha x rotundifolia) does not have the fuzzy, spearminty leaves you describe, but derivatives such as Bowles mint (Mentha x villosa, syn. Mentha alopecuroides) do. Richters does not currently offer Bowles mint.