Mentha × villosa (syn: Mentha alopecuroides, Mentha nemorosa, Mentha villosa var. alopecuroides) also known as hairy mint or mojito mint is a hybrid species of mint, a cross between Mentha spicata and Mentha suaveolens.Kew Plants of the World Online: Mentha × villosa Huds.
This species is native to temperate and warm temperate regions of Europe and occurs in meadows, pastures, and ruderal locations.Eckehart J. Jäger, Friedrich Ebel, Peter Hanelt, Gerd K. Müller (eds.) (2008). Rothmaler: Exkursionsflora von Deutschland. Band 5: Krautige Zier- und Nutzpflanzen. Berlin: Spektrum Akademischer Verlag. . p. 496. However, it is cultivated in many other countries throughout the world.
In Cuba and the Philippines, this species is known as yerba buena or hierbabuena. In Cuba, it is a core ingredient in the mojito cocktail, though other mints such as spearmint are used where mojito mint is not available."Mojito (Rum Spritzer)" from Miami Spice: The New Florida Cuisine by Steven Raichlen, 1993. . p. 12"Rum Cocktails" by Bill Kte’pi. In: Scott C. Martin (ed) (2015). The SAGE Encyclopedia of Alcohol: Social, Cultural, and Historical Perspectives. Vol 2, p. 1082-1084."Original Cuban Mojito: Hierbabuena or Spearmint?" by John Kiely, Cookmundo (blog), 28 April, 2018. (Archived from original 28 March, 2022 at Archive.org) In the Philippines, this species has a long history of medicinal use and is one of 10 medicinal plant species that the Philippine government has endorsed as effective.Rodriguez JP, Tolosa EN, Legaspi CLB. (2023). "Pharmacologic Activities of Yerba Buena (Mentha x villosa Huds. Fam. Lamiaceae): An Overview." Acta Medica Philippina: Early Access 2023.
Description
Mentha × villosa is a herbaceous, rhizomatous, perennial plant that grows to be tall, with smooth stems, square in cross section. The rhizomes are wide-spreading and fleshy, and bear fibrous roots.
Cultivation Historically, this species has been included in European medicinal and aromatic plant gardens, though its cultivation in Europe is in decline. However, the mojito mint variety from Cuba has become increasingly popular in the United States and elsewhere as a culinary garden plant for making mojitos and other culinary uses."Grow Mojito Mint" JoyusGarden.com(accessed Nov. 29, 2022) It is a perennial and grows primarily in the temperate biome.
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