Glenna Rose wrote:
writes:
Then there's the "culinary" mint: plants that taste minty, or that have
been used in foods or teas instead of or like mints, or that have "mint"
somewhere in their name (usually because they've been used in foods and
teas like mints, but catmint for one certainly isn't culinary).
???
Perhaps my definition of culinary is too loose; I thought it was.
The hangtag on my catnip, purchased from a reputable veggie nursery, says:
Medicinal Herb - Nepeta cataria
CATNIP
Perennial, 2-5' ht., sun. Cats find the leaves and flowers intoxicating.
Tea is a popular nightcap; also a remedy for colds, fever. Lavender to
white flowers in June.
Perhaps I should refine my thoughts about culinary to mean seasoning
rather then edible?
Glenna
Catmint is different from catnip. Catmint (Nepeta mussinii) is a nice
ornamental for dry sunny areas, like the little 10 inch wide bed between
the south side of my house and the sidewalk. It has small fragrant leaves
and blue flower spikes. Some cats find it mildly amusing, but not nearly
so much as catnip. I don't know of any culinary or medicinal uses for it.
Best regards,
Bob