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[BubbleCat]

So I found this in urban environment. It forms runners and looks like a nettle or mentha. Initialy placing it amongst Menthae I immediately took it with me. Now the feel of the leaves is a bit "furry" and the smell is not Peppermint or Spearmint but not unpleasent at all.

Maybe a nettle ?
Maybe a Mentha sp. ?

I planted the uprooted one already and recut the other one to let it root in water.

The condition it is in is not the best to ID I think.

[oriky]

Is look like mentha sp. For me, But to be sure just smell it.

[BubbleCat]

Could my last one be a Melissa  ? Scent reminds of Melissa Off.
I cant imagine an asian species to make it here so it would then have to be Melissa O.

[MadPlanter]

Looks like lemon balm to me. The second pic kinda looks mentha like if its not the same plant

[sporehead]

I look at melissa officianalis every day. That doesn't look the same to me,  unless there are some crazy morphology differences from mine to yours. The stem is not as square as ones ive seen and the leaves look too pointy and thick. If it doesn't smell lemony its not this species. They're both definitely menthae though.

1 Like BubbleCat likes this.

[BubbleCat]

The stem is absolutely square justigjt not look like because of its fur. Lemon scent is there but bear with the plant its not in the best condition, I'll let it recover and hopefully flower for further investigation

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[Roze]

not melissa for sure. If it smells like lemon its: "mentha  aquatica x citrata"  lets make a tea?

[ONandONandON]

The square stem could indicate a Salvia Spp.

[BubbleCat]

I have a mentha plant that is supposed to be "lemon mint" ... it smells like antifreeze but makes decent tea that reminds a bit of Ocimum B. Mean that one ?

Why not Melissa for sure ?

No salvia ... I think, altho its as "furry" as salvia.

[Roze]

melissa leaves are bigger and darcker than that.

[BubbleCat]

The leaves are absolutely rubbish due to the condition I found the plant in, malnuttition sunlight and insect attacks could have made the leaves smaller. Invcloser up they are covered in light tan spots so much is looks like one big damaged area.

Here is my antifreeze / Ocimum / Lemon mint for comparison. It has no fur, *rectangular* stems but its more star shaped as in between edges it is indented. Leaves are dark, of very same shape as the plant in question but still: no fur. Stems are very putplish.

I have a Melissa in the other place and I am very sure its not very similar but variations occur ... and yeah might just be sth totally different.

I am getting increasingly confused with the increasing count of Menthae I collect ... every one I come across is at least slighty different to all I have already so I can never resist but take it home.

[Auxin]

As a more or less irrelevant (but fun) side note...
I found that if melissa is bruised before drying it produces a black tea, just like with real tea plants. It kind of develops that black tea flavor. I christened it "Black Melissa", which admittedly makes it sound like a death metal band or something
Just a thing to try for those who like melissa tea and black tea.

4 Likes fairdinkumseeds, ONandONandON, Psylover and LIBERTYNY like this.

[BubbleCat]

So you crush the leaves before drying ? Black tea and the resulting aroma is fermentation ... and the color.

[Auxin]

Yup, just bruise them up. I rolled them between my hands until each handful was bruised.
The effect is based on enzymatic action and auto-oxidation, so it happens pretty fast.

[BubbleCat]

I think I found someones abandoned urban garden.

Calendula cultivar ? The middle of the flowers doesnt really match.

What kind of Allium ? Cepa ? Sativum ? ... idk

I took one of the Alliums seeds