Water Spearmint

A delightful and aromatic marginal plant that is often overlooked in UK water gardening. Preslia cervina, sometimes classified as Mentha cervina, produces fine, needle-like foliage that gives off a powerful, refreshing spearmint scent when crushed or brushed against. In late summer, it is topped with dense, globular whorls of pale lilac to white flowers that are highly attractive to bees and hoverflies. It has a creeping habit that makes it ideal for softening the edges of a pond or for planting in shallow water ripples where it can help filter the water. It is fully hardy and grows well in soggy soil or shallow water up to 5cm deep. Its delicate texture provides a lovely contrast to broader-leaved marginals like Marsh Marigolds. It is generally well-behaved and slower-growing than the common Water Mint (Mentha aquatica), making it suitable for smaller ponds and container water features.

Sun: Full sun to partial shade.

Soil: Wet loam or aquatic compost.

Hardiness: H5 — down to −15°C.

Flowering: Jul, Aug, Sep.