Mentha suaveolens
Pineapple mint, Pineapple Mint
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Family: Lamiaceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Mentha suaveolens (Pineapple mint) is a non-native California herb in the Lamiaceae family, recognized by Co-occurs with 10 other mint species; distinctive wrinkled leaves with tomentose undersides.
Pineapple mint is a naturalized perennial found in northern coastal, central western, and southern coastal California, as well as in desert mountains, growing in moist places and fields at elevations below 950 meters. Flowering from July to October, this plant produces white to pale pink flowers in small clusters. Growing with soft-hairy stems 50 to 100 centimeters tall, it has a spreading, somewhat sprawling habit. Its wrinkled leaves are ovate to oblong, 1 to 4 centimeters long, with rounded tips and serrated edges, featuring a dense, many-branched hair covering on the lower surface. The plant's distinctive wrinkled texture and soft, hairy leaves make it easily recognizable in moist habitats.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Co-occurs with 10 other mint species; distinctive wrinkled leaves with tomentose undersides
Habitat and range
Habitat: Moist places, fields
Elevation: < 950 m
California counties: Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, San Bernardino, Inyo, Ventura, Riverside, Tulare, Sonoma, San Francisco, Contra Costa, Santa Cruz, Humboldt, Napa, San Mateo, San Diego, Tuolumne
Outside California: native to southern Europe
Bloom period
Mentha suaveolens 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 suaveolens native to California?
No. Mentha suaveolens is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Mentha suaveolens bloom?
Mentha suaveolens blooms Jul-Oct.
Where in California does Mentha suaveolens grow?
Mentha suaveolens occurs in Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, San Bernardino, Inyo, Ventura, Riverside, Tulare, Sonoma and other counties, at elevations of < 950 m.
What plant family does Mentha suaveolens belong to?
Mentha suaveolens is in the Lamiaceae family, genus Mentha.
What habitat does Mentha suaveolens grow in?
Mentha suaveolens grows in Moist places, fields.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.