Apple Mint Plants for Sale: A Complete Guide for Buyers

With its sweet, refreshing flavor and aroma, apple mint is a delightful herb for any gardener. But where can you find apple mint plants for sale? This guide covers everything you need to know about buying apple mint plants.

An Overview of Apple Mint

Before discussing where to buy let’s look at some key facts about apple mint

• Perennial herb in the mint family Lamiaceae
• Grows up to 2 feet tall
• Features square stems and wrinkled, bright green leaves
• Produces whorls of light purple to white flowers in summer
• Native to Europe and Asia, naturalized worldwide
• Hardy in USDA zones 5-11

Compared to other mints apple mint has a sweeter fruitier flavor profile reminiscent of apples or pineapple. Both the leaves and flowers can be used fresh or dried for teas, culinary dishes, potpourri, and DIY products.

In addition to its uses, apple mint attracts pollinators while deterring rodents and insects. It also grows vigorously, spreading via underground rhizomes.

With its versatility and vigor, apple mint is a great addition to any herb garden. Now let’s look at your options for buying plants.

Purchase Potted Apple Mint Plants from Nurseries

Local nurseries and garden centers are a convenient place to buy potted apple mint plants. Benefits of sourcing plants from nurseries include:

• Get established plants that are ready to harvest and flower
• Visually inspect plants for health, vigor, and pest/disease issues
• Support local businesses and interact with knowledgeable staff
• Avoid risks of shipping damage
• Buy only the number of plants you need

Apple mint is a very popular herb, so most nurseries carry it in stock. Check for availability in spring through early summer. Apple mint can be expensive from some retailers, so shop around for the best prices. Expect to pay $5-15 for a good sized potted plant.

Order Apple Mint Plants from Online Nurseries

Purchasing plants from online nurseries and growers is another option. Advantages versus local sources include:

• Wider selection of apple mint varieties
• Buy and ship plants year-round
• Convenient delivery directly to your door
• Often better prices, especially for bulk orders
• Avoid introducing diseases from local nurseries

Reputable online nurseries to consider include Mountain Valley Growers, Jung Seed Company, Evergreen Nursery, and Nature Hills Nursery.

Look for sellers specializing in herbs with strong customer reviews. Carefully check shipping costs, guarantees, and packaging to protect plants in transit.

Buy Apple Mint Seeds to Grow Your Own

For the widest selection and lowest cost, consider purchasing apple mint seeds online. Growing apple mint from seed has advantages like:

• Access to any apple mint variety, including rare and exotic types
• Buy seeds year-round and grow plants on your schedule
• Seeds stores easily for years compared to plants
• Grow exactly the quantity of plants you need
• Much cheaper than buying starter plants

High-quality apple mint seeds are available from retailers like Outsidepride, True Leaf Market, Eden Brothers, and Seed Savers Exchange. Pricing ranges from $2 to $10 for packets with 100+ seeds.

Be sure to start seeds 8-12 weeks before your last expected frost to get a head start on the growing season.

Check Local Farmers Markets for Apple Mint

Searching for apple mint at farmers markets and farm stands provides another planting option. Benefits include:

• Support small, local farms and food producers
• Hand-select specific plants in person
• Established plants or seedlings ready for transplant
• Speak directly with growers for care tips
• Avoid shipping stress on plants

Availability depends on your location and growing season. Call ahead to confirm vendors will have apple mint plants on scheduled market days.

Expect to pay comparable prices to buying plants from local nurseries. But you may find great deals on apple mint sold in bulk quantities.

Get Free Cuttings from Friends or Neighbors

If you know someone already growing apple mint, ask for free cuttings to root and propagate new plants. Advantages of getting cuttings include:

• Completely free plants
• Rewarding to create new plants from existing ones
• Grow exact varieties you already enjoy
• Learn propagation skills for other herbs

Take 4-6 inch tip cuttings from vigorous, healthy stems. Remove lower leaves, dip in rooting hormone, and place in soil or water to develop roots before transplanting.

This method works best with apple mint since it roots so easily. Just be sure to get permission before taking someone’s plant cuttings.

Growing Apple Mint from Seeds or Rhizomes

If you have access to seeds or rhizomes from existing apple mint plants, propagating new plants costs nothing. To grow from rhizomes:

• Carefully dig up and divide established apple mint clumps
• Break rhizomes into smaller sections, ensuring some roots per piece
• Replant divisions or share with other gardeners

For seeds:

• Allow apple mint flowers to fully dry on the plant
• Collect and store seeds in a sealed, labeled container
• Start seeds indoors or direct sow into gardens next season

Either method allows you to expand your apple mint collection for free year after year.

Deciding Where to Purchase Apple Mint Plants

When choosing where to buy your apple mint plants, weigh the pros and cons:

• Local nurseries – Convenient but limited selection and seasonal availability

• Online nurseries – Wider selection but shipping risks and costs

• Seeds – Cheap with unlimited varieties but slower start

• Farmers markets – Support local growers but unpredictable availability

• Cuttings – Free plants but limited genetics and reliability

• Division/seeds – Essentially free but need existing plants

For most home gardeners, purchasing a few potted plants from local nurseries combined with growing extra plants from seeds or cuttings offers the best balance and flexibility.

What to Look for When Buying Apple Mint Plants

To select the best quality apple mint plants:

• Choose plants with healthy green leaves and vigorous new growth
• Avoid plants with yellowing, curled, or wilting leaves
• Check for signs of pests like webs, sticky residue, or chew marks
• Select plants free of disease symptoms like black spots or powdery mildew
• Look for well-established root systems in containers
• Give preference to reputable, experienced herb growers

The healthiest plants will establish more readily and yield greater harvests.

How Many Apple Mint Plants to Get

When deciding how many apple mint plants to buy or grow, consider:

• Available space in your garden
• Other planting plans and crop rotations
• Whether you want plants for culinary use, decorative value, or both
• Supply needs based on how much you cook with mint
• Mint’s tendency to aggressively spread unless contained

For culinary use, 2-3 plants per person is generally sufficient. For ornamental purposes, plant 5-10 plants grouped together for best visual impact.

Due to mint’s spreading nature, give it designated garden space or contain in pots. Be conservative when starting out, since your plant volume will likely expand from rhizomes and self-seeding.

Caring for Your Apple Mint Plants

To keep your new apple mint plants happy and productive:

• Plant in full sun to partial shade (at least 4 hours direct sun daily)
• Maintain consistently moist soil, watering at the root zone rather than from overhead
• Use a high quality potting mix for container plants
• Pinch off flower buds the first year to encourage leaf growth
• Harvest often by cutting stems to the base to stimulate new growth
• Divide congested plants every 2-3 years to rejuvenate growth
• Mulch plants in cold winter areas for protection from freeze/thaw cycles

With proper care, apple mint will generously reward your efforts with its sweet aroma and flavor for years to come.

How to Use Apple Mint Plants

Apple mint’s sweet minty flavor has endless uses for herb gardeners:

• Use chopped leaves to flavor water, lemonade, iced tea, and cocktails like mojitos

• Add leaves to fruit salads, salsas, marinades, cheeses, yogurt, and desserts

• Infuse vinegars, oils, honey, and syrups with fresh or dried apple mint

• Make refreshing tea hot or iced using fresh leaves or dried ones

• Create homemade skin care products like lotions, bath salts, lip balms, and facial mists

• Dry or freeze leaves to preserve apple mint for future culinary use

• Decorate dishes and beverages with pretty apple mint sprigs and colorful flowers

With so many options for enjoying apple mint, you’ll be glad you have abundant plants handy. Time to start browsing for apple mint plants for sale near you!