Mint Varieties

Three main mint varieties are grown in Washington (Peppermint and two varieties of Spearmint: Native and Scotch). Other privately developed and owned mint varieties are also grown in Washington for commercial purposes and are used to create specialty flavor combinations. Also there exist many mint varieties outside of these three that are not grown for commercial purposes within Washington. 

Peppermint

Native Spearmint

Scotch Spearmint

Peppermint has a high concentration of menthol and in the U.S. it is the main flavor component of mint candy. Just think about the holidays... how many peppermint flavored candies and desserts can you find at Christmas?

​Native is a stronger tasting Spearmint that is less pleasant than scotch. It is  often used to flavor toothpastes and dental hygiene products. It is not susceptible to wilt. It does struggle in colder climates. 

​Scotch is a sweeter, more mild tasting Spearmint that is used in sweets and chewing gum. It is winter hardy but is susceptible to verticillium wilt. 

Mint Production Process

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