Strawberry mint is an incredibly rare variety of mint that you've probably never heard of- and I'm here to tell you just how much you need it! Let's talk about this cool variety and how to grow it while I transplant my newest strawberry mint plant in the video below.
You wouldn't believe how incredible this seemingly run-of-the-mill mint smells; I was blown away by the amazing aroma when I got my very first strawberry mint cutting in a trade!
This is how the strawberry mint is doing on June 10th, 2025.
Strawberry Mint: What Does It Smell Like, Does It Really Smell Like Strawberries?
Strawberry mint has the most intoxicating, fruity smell. It truly does have a strawberry aroma to it; to me it doesn't necessarily smell like fresh strawberries. Rather it smells more like a strawberry candy or a strawberry candle in my opinion. This current plant that I have is not as robustly scented as the original one that I had- I'm hoping that changes with either growth or summer heat. Either or, it's still an incredible smelling plant and I can't wait to use it for tea this year.
Strawberry mint leaves look like regular mint; however, they are anything but!
Strawberry Mint Doesn't Seem to Be Very Hardy in Cold Weather
I've greatly enjoyed strawberry mint in the past, but I lost my original plant over the winter that followed after obtaining it. I'm not sure why it didn't survive, as it was supposed to. Over the last few years, I've looked high and low for this plant locally, but it's impossible to find. There are very few online vendors who carry it. This year I found it at a great price- I would happily share the vendor, but I can't say that I had a good experience with the order as a whole. Therefore, I simply cannot recommend them at this point in time.
Since it perished so easily in cold weather, I'll bring smaller cuttings in off of it this year (it likely only sustained temperatures down to 5°F, in a pot.) I will leave the pot outside again to see if it survives, though. It's always possible that the plant I had previously didn't come back due to other reasons, so we shall find out. For now, I will assume that it failed due to the weather, and I will be sure to propagate it to keep the strawberry mint safe over winter.
The strawberry mint has grown so big since being transplanted into a pot on my porch steps!
Growing Strawberry Mint
Strawberry mint is grown much like the other cool varieties of mint hybrids, such as chocolate mint, berries and cream mint, orange mint, pineapple mint, etc. It loves part to full sun, especially with dappled shade during the hottest parts of the day, moist soil, and low competition. It can also spread like crazy, so it's always recommended to plant mint in a pot to contain it. It can be invasive and will take over.
Mint is a very easy plant to take care of and grow. It's not as finicky as many other plants can be. Strawberry mint doesn't seem to be quite as hardy, but it is still a very resilient plant and grows incredibly well.
Strawberry Mint Cannot Be Grown from Seed
Strawberry mint is a hybrid plant, and it is propagated via cuttings. If you purchase seeds for this variety, you will most likely be disappointed as seeds will not grow true. You will need to purchase plants or root some cuttings. This makes it even harder to obtain- most nurseries and garden centers do not stock strawberry mint.
I'm growing strawberry mint in a pot on my steps, with beautiful dianthus, cosmos, and other flowering plants in a pot in the background.
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| I'm growing strawberry mint in a pot on my steps, with beautiful dianthus, cosmos, and other flowering plants in a pot in the background. |
Add Strawberry Mint to Your Garden
If you can find strawberry mint, I highly recommend giving it a go in your garden. The smell is absolutely incredible, quite refreshing on a hot summer day. I'm so happy that I was able to locate some and have it in my garden again. Just be sure to keep it in a pot to avoid aggressive spreading and be sure to avoid seeds when trying to locate this plant. Have you heard of strawberry mint before today? If not, I hope you'll give it a go so that you can enjoy its exhilarating aroma, as well!