Mentha aquatica - Water Mint - (Lamiaceae)

This plant is widespread throughout the UK and Ireland except in the far north.

Water Mint and its relatives the Spear Mint (Mentha spicata) and Corn Mint (Mentha arvensis), are plants of damp places. The margins of rivers are sometimes lined with this attractive low-growing plant.

Water Mint

Spear Mint has, unsurprisingly in view of its common name, a spear shaped terminal flower (at the top of the stem), while Corn Mint is easily distinguished from the other two because it does not have a flower head at the terminal.

One variety of Water Mint has bronze leaves and this is more often found by ponds and still waters.

The specimen on this page was photographed in West Wales.