Mentha spicata varies considerably in leaf blade dimensions, the prominence of leaf veins, and pubescence. The name 'spear' mint derives from the pointed leaf tips. Spearmint flowers in the summer (from July to September in the northern hemisphere), and has relatively large seeds, which measure 0.62–0.90 mm (0.024–0.035 in). Spearmint produces flowers in slender spikes, each flower pink or white in colour, 2.5–3 mm (0.098–0.118 in) long, and broad. The stem is square-shaped, a defining characteristic of the mint family of herbs. It is 30–100 cm (12–39 in) tall, with variably hairless to hairy stems and foliage, and a wide-spreading fleshy underground rhizome from which it grows. Spearmint is a perennial herbaceous plant. The species and its subspecies have many synonyms, including Mentha crispa, Mentha crispata and Mentha viridis. The aromatic oil, called oil of spearmint, is also used as a flavouring and sometimes as a scent. It is used as a flavouring in food and herbal teas. It is naturalized in many other temperate parts of the world, including northern and southern Africa, North America and South America. Spearmint, also known as garden mint, common mint, lamb mint and mackerel mint, is a species of mint, Mentha spicata, native to Europe and southern temperate Asia, extending from Ireland in the west to southern China in the east.
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