weeds that look like mint

Watch Out! Weeds Mistaken for Mint

As a gardener and mint lover, I’ve learned to be cautious of lookalike weeds that can easily be mistaken for mint Some non-mint plants have leaves and growth habits similar to mints, but lack that cool, refreshing minty aroma we know and love

In this article, I’ll share tips on identifying mint lookalikes, including:

• Key features to check that distinguish mint from weeds
• Pictures of common mint imposters
• How to confirm you have real mint

Armed with this info, you’ll be able to spot fakers trying to pass as mint in your garden beds or containers.

How to Identify Real Mint Plants

Here are the key features that indicate you have a true mint plant

• Stems – Square stems are a trademark of mints
• Leaves – Mints have toothed, wrinkled leaves with a matte appearance
• Scent – Crush a leaf and sniff – mints have a strong, cooling minty fragrance
• Flowers – Small purple, pink or white flowers on spikes blooming mid to late summer

Check for all these signs to be sure your plant is a real mint variety like peppermint or spearmint. Now let’s look at common mint impersonators.

Weeds Mistaken for Mint

Several non-mint plants get mistaken for mint due to similar leaf shapes and growing habits. Here are 4 to watch out for:

Catmint

• Leaf edges are more rounded compared to mint
• Leaves have a fuzzy appearance
• Scent is minty but weaker than true mints
• Lavender-blue flowers on spikes in summer

Lemon Balm

• Leaves are wrinkled but lack mint’s toothed edges
• Crush leaves for a lemon scent, not minty
• Tiny white flowers in summer

Stinging Nettle

• Leaves have a toothy, pointed appearance like mint
• Touching leaves causes stinging pain!
• No minty aroma at all

Henbit

• Rounded, scalloped leaves look somewhat mint-like
• Scentless foliage
• Purplish flowers in spring

As you can see, visually these plants can pass for mint but are missing that cool minty smell. Trust your nose – if it’s not mint scented, it’s an imposter!

Confirm You Have Real Mint

To be 100% sure your plant is real mint, check for these signs:

• Pinch off a leaf and crush it. Take a whiff – is the scent cooling and minty?

• Run your finger down the plant’s stem. Is it square shaped?

• Check for small flowers on spikes rising above the foliage.

• Look closely at the leaf edges. Are they finely toothed?

• Observe leaf surfaces – mint leaves should be matte, not shiny or fuzzy.

If all signs point to mint, then you likely have the real thing! An easy way to further confirm is to simply taste a leaf. Mints will impart that unmistakable burst of mint flavor.

Avoid the Lookalikes

Now that you know what to look for, you can identify genuine mint plants vs. wannabe weeds. Steer clear of the mint imposters and stick with planting trusty mint varieties like peppermint, apple mint or chocolate mint.

With their vigorous growth habit, delicious scent and flavor, mints are too valuable to mistake for a scentless weed. Crush those leaves and let your nose guide you to the real mints!