I recently planted some mint seed from a well known supplier but what grew did not smell or look like mint?

Question

Now the plants are about 9ins tall have small white flowers on them and these are turning into small green berries. Any ideas what these seeds are ?

Answer 1

I fell for the mint seed ploy as well...what I got to grow from my "peppermint" seeds was quite a ranky cousin of the mint.

The most research I did on mint seeds was quite disheartening. Basically everything I found said the same thing...they're sterile (peppermint seeds), and fyi peppermint is a hybrid between a water mint and a spearmint.

If possible ask a friend for a cutting of their mint or buy a mint already started.

As for what you got to grow, I haven't a clue...

"Japanese mint (M. arvensis var. Piperescens), peppermint (M. xpipita), and spearmint (M. spicata) are the species mostly cultivated.

All mints can be propagated by cuttings or seeds except peppermint, since it is a sterile F1 hybrid of M. aquatica and M. spicata. Peppermint does not produce seeds and can only be propagated by cuttings.

Mints can be planted in full sun or partial shade, and require rich, well-drained soil with a soil pH of 6.5. Mint can be harvested almost as soon as it comes up in the spring. Young, tender leaves and stems are the best. Mint is susceptible to verticillium wilt, mint rust, and mint anthracnose. The pests that could bother mint include spider mites, loopers, mint flea beetles, mint root borers, cutworms, root weevils, and aphids.
Oregano"

Answer 2

Members of the mint family are recognized by their square stems. They mostly all have opposite pairs of leaves also. If your plant lacks these characteristics it isn't even in the family Lamiaceae.
M any mint are hybrids and do not come true from seed. This is why mint plants are grown from cuttings. Possibly even the knowledgeable retailer may get fooled.

Peppermint (mentha x piperita) is a 99%+ sterile hybrid between Mentha spicata (Spearmint or English mint) and Mentha aquatica (Water mint). So when it does germinate it is just a poor quality spearmint plant.

here is a grower for mints
http://www.richters.com/Web_store/web_store.cgi?page=SubIndexPages/Mint.html&cart_id=467007.959

Answer 3

Are you sure these are from the seeds you planted?
It may well be some weed which grew where you put you mint seeds & snuffed them.
Post a picture of this plant, I'm sure somebody will be able to reconize it & extend more help.

Answer 4

It sounds like cilantro (break a leaf & smell it). The leaves look similar to parsely & the seeds are coriander.

Answer 5

Definetly not mint plants. I don't really know but mint can't be mistaken. In fact it multiplies and comes back every year.

Answer 6

Sounds like coriander