Mentha ×gracilis
Scotch spearmint, Scotch Spearmint
(c) Jon Sullivan, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Lamiaceae · Type: Perennial · Not Native
Mentha ×gracilis (Scotch spearmint) is a non-native California perennial in the Lamiaceae family, recognized by Co-occurs with 10 other mint species; key features are glabrous stems and axillary inflorescences.
Scotch spearmint is a naturalized perennial found in the northern Coast Ranges, central Sierra Nevada, Central Valley, Central Coast, and Southern California in moist fields and low-elevation areas below 1,500 meters. Flowering from July to October, this plant produces white to pink or violet flowers in small clusters. Growing with stems 30 to 100 centimeters tall that are generally smooth and upright, it forms dense clumps with spreading habit. Its leaves are ovate to lance-shaped, 1.5 to 6 centimeters long with serrated edges and tapered bases, creating a bright green aromatic foliage. The flower clusters emerge both from leaf axils and occasionally as terminal spike-like formations, giving the plant a delicate and intricate appearance.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Co-occurs with 10 other mint species; key features are glabrous stems and axillary inflorescences
Habitat and range
Habitat: Moist places, fields
Elevation: < 1500 m
Outside California: to Canada, eastern United States, native to Europe, naturalized from cultivation
Bloom period
Mentha ×gracilis blooms Jul-Oct.
How to tell it apart
vs Monardella: Monardella has one pom-pom head per stem; Mentha has multiple clusters stacked at intervals up the stem.; vs Salvia: Sage has flowers in an elongated terminal spike; Mentha has clusters distributed along the stem at leaf joints.; vs Stachys: Hedge-nettle has larger flowers and lacks the classic mint smell; Mentha is aromatic with smaller flowers.; vs Melissa: Lemon balm has flowers all on one side of the stem; Mentha's clusters encircle the stem evenly.; vs Clinopodium: Clinopodium has tiny flowers (pencil-eraser size); Mentha's flowers are noticeably larger and more visible.
Frequently asked questions
Is Mentha ×gracilis native to California?
No. Mentha ×gracilis is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Mentha ×gracilis bloom?
Mentha ×gracilis blooms Jul-Oct.
What plant family does Mentha ×gracilis belong to?
Mentha ×gracilis is in the Lamiaceae family, genus Mentha.
What habitat does Mentha ×gracilis grow in?
Mentha ×gracilis grows in Moist places, fields.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-01
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.