Spearmint is a spreading perennial herb that is native to the Mediterranean region and now naturalized in Africa and the Americas. Together with watermint, spearmint is a parent to the hybrid peppermint.
Spearmint came to America during the Colonial period. As yet untaxed by the English government, the herb became a popular tea substitute during the American Revolution. Spearmint then became a significant cash crop in Connecticut. Its popularity returned during the American Civil War when black tea, which had to be imported, became scarce.
Today, approximately 3 million pounds of spearmint are grown in the US today, with Washington and Oregon leading in production. So significant is the plant in the history of US agricultural heritage that there is an established Mint Industry Research Council.
