Lemon Mint
Common name: Lemon Mint
Scientific name: Monarda citriodora
Family: Lamiaceae
Uses: Decorative, culinary, medicinal.For drying. For fragrances and pot-pourris. For tea. Lemon mint is said to have some medicinal properties.
History: Mint is a sign of hospitality dating back to the Romans and Greeks.
Description: Smooth lemon scented mid-green leaves. Leaves are narrowly lanceolate to oblong and about 2 inches long. They are awn tipped with remotely serrate to nearly entire margins
Plant type: Annual
Hardiness: Hardiness zone 5-9
Height: 16-24 inches
Width: varies, spreading rapidly
Light:
Soil: rich, moist well drained soil with a pH of 6.0-7.0
Pests: Spider mites, looper, flea beetle, root borers, grasshopper, cutworm, root weevils, and aphids
Disease: verticillium wilt, mint rust and mint anthracnose
Cultivation: Can be sown from seed in flats or in the ground directly. Can be successfully propagated by cuttings: place cuttings in medium, keep moist, and transplant once the root system is well established. All mint can spread rather quickly by runners; either contain it in pots that are buried or give it a large area it may take over. Frequent cuttings or mowing of large plots will keep mints at their prettiest. In late fall cut back to the ground and mulch if winters are severe.
Companion planting:
Propagation: Seed, cuttings.
Flowering period: Spring to summer
Flower color:
Harvesting:
Garden notes:
