Mexican Climbing Mint
- Mexican Mint is a 2 - 3 foot tall perennial growing in USDA zones 8 - 11..
- Its licorice-anise flavor is a successful alternative for French tarragon and it looks great in the herb garden. Mexican mint is a neat, upright bush some 3 feet tall with narrow, sharply toothed dark green leaves. Its scent resembles that of tarragon more than it does the pungent aroma of its familiar bedding plant cousins which are marigolds..
- In fall, if the growing season is long enough, the tips of the stems bear clusters of 3/8 inch golden yellow flowers. To use Mexican mint herbs in the kitchen, just chop the fresh leaves and use them to season chicken and tossed green salads, or brew them into a sweet, anise-flavored tea. The dried leaves retain their fragrance well if kept in a sealed glass container and protected from extreme heat and bright light..
- Sowing Rate: 5 - 10 seeds per plant. Mexican mint thrives in almost any well-drained soil, including sand, and is relatively easy to grow. It has no special fertilization needs, and although it appreciates regular watering, it can withstand short droughts..