Herb: Mint Bush


Latin name: Prostanthera rotundifolia


Family: Labiatae



Medicinal use of Mint Bush:

The plant is rich in volatile oils, including menthol and cineole (as found in the mints, Mentha spp.). The leaves are antibacterial, antifungal and carminative. They are used externally in the treatment of colds and headaches. Presumably the leaves are infused in a bowl of hot water and the vapour inhaled.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Shrub

Height:
4.5 m
(15 feet)

Flowering:
May


Scent:
Scented
Shrub

Habitat of the herb:

Sheltered hillsides, usually in sylvan habitats. Sandy soils over sandstone on rainforest edges and sheltered spots in sclerophyll forest.

Other uses of Mint Bush:

An essential oil obtained from the leaves is medicinal. The leaves yield up to 0.7% of the oil. The dried leaves are used in pot-pourri.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse.The seed usually germinates within a few weeks. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. The seed remains viable for 2 - 3 years in normal storage. Cuttings of soft-wood in early summer in a frame. They root readily. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame.

Cultivation of Mint Bush:

Sheltered hillsides, usually in sylvan habitats. Sandy soils over sandstone on rainforest edges and sheltered spots in sclerophyll forest.

Known hazards of Prostanthera rotundifolia:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.