''Mentha'' × ''villosa'' (syn: ''Mentha alopecuroides'', ''Mentha nemorosa'', ''Mentha villosa'' var. ''alopecuroides'') also known as hairy mint or mojito mint is a

hybrid Hybrid may refer to: Science * Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding ** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species ** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two diff ...

species of

mint Mint or The Mint may refer to: Plants * Lamiaceae, the mint family ** ''Mentha'', the genus of plants commonly known as "mint" Coins and collectibles * Mint (facility), a facility for manufacturing coins * Mint condition, a state of like-new ...

, a cross between ''

Mentha spicata Spearmint (''Mentha spicata''), also known as garden mint, common mint, lamb mint and mackerel mint, is native to Europe and southern temperate Asia, extending from Ireland in the west to southern China in the east. It is naturalized in many othe ...

'' and ''

Mentha suaveolens ''Mentha suaveolens'', the apple mint, pineapple mint, woolly mint or round-leafed mint (Synonym (taxonomy), synonyms ''M. rotundifolia'', ''Mentha macrostachya'', ''Mentha insularis''), is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae. It is native t ...

''. This species is native to

temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (approximately 23.5° to 66.5° N/S of the Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ran ...

and warm temperate regions of Europe and occurs in meadows, pastures, and

ruderal A ruderal species is a plant species that is first to colonize disturbed lands. The disturbance may be natural for example, wildfires or avalanchesor the consequences of human activities, such as construction ( of roads, of buildings, mining, e ...

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 Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

and the

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

, this species is known as

yerba buena Yerba buena or hierba buena is the Spanish name for a number of aromatic plants, most of which belong to the mint family. ''Yerba buena'' translates as "good herb". The specific plant species regarded as ''yerba buena'' varies from region to reg ...

or hierbabuena. In Cuba, it is a core ingredient in the

mojito Mojito (; ) is a traditional Cuba, Cuban punch. The cocktail often consists of five ingredients: Light rum, white rum, sugar (traditionally sugar cane juice), lime juice, Carbonated water, soda water, and Mentha, mint. Its combination of sweetn ...

cocktail, though other mints such as

spearmint Spearmint (''Mentha spicata''), also known as garden mint, common mint, lamb mint and mackerel mint, is native to Europe and southern temperate Asia, extending from Ireland in the west to southern China in the east. It is naturalized in many othe ...

are used where mojito mint is not available. 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 Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of ...

, rhizomatous,

perennial plant In horticulture, the term perennial (''wikt:per-#Prefix, per-'' + ''wikt:-ennial#Suffix, -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annual plant, annuals and biennial plant, biennials. It has thus been d ...

that grows to be tall, with smooth stems, square in cross section. The

rhizome In botany and dendrology, a rhizome ( ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and Shoot (botany), shoots from its Node (botany), nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from ...

s are wide-spreading and fleshy, and bear fibrous

root In vascular plants, the roots are the plant organ, organs of a plant that are modified to provide anchorage for the plant and take in water and nutrients into the plant body, which allows plants to grow taller and faster. They are most often bel ...

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

s and other culinary uses. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

References

* * Antiemetics Herbs

villosa ''Villosa'' is a genus of freshwater mussels, aquatic bivalve molluscs in the family Unionidae. Species Species within the genus ''Villosa'': * '' Villosa amygdala'' * '' Villosa arkansasensis'' - Ouachita creekshell * '' Villosa choctawensi ...

Hybrid plants Plants described in 1778 {{Lamiaceae-stub