Lamiaceae

Spearmint

Mentha spicata L.

Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Mentha

Pets and kids

CatsMildly toxic
DogsMildly toxic
KidsNot sure

Why

Cats: Mildly toxic

Mildly toxic to cats. Toxic principle: essential oils.

Signs: vomiting, diarrhea.

Mentha spicata (Garden Mint, Lamb Mint, Mint, Spearmint) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox University or extension

Dogs: Mildly toxic

Mildly toxic to dogs. Toxic principle: essential oils.

Signs: vomiting, diarrhea.

Mentha spicata (Garden Mint, Lamb Mint, Mint, Spearmint) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox University or extension

Kids: Not sure

We found no reliable source on this plant for young children, so we don't call it safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked with a doctor or poison control.

Spearmint (Mentha spicata) — FlowerPhoto: Jon Sullivan, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist

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Is Spearmint safe for cats, dogs and kids?

Is Spearmint safe for cats?

No. Our sources call Spearmint mildly toxic to cats. Toxic principle: essential oils. Signs: vomiting, diarrhea.

Mentha spicata (Garden Mint, Lamb Mint, Mint, Spearmint) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox University or extension

Is Spearmint safe for dogs?

No. Our sources call Spearmint mildly toxic to dogs. Toxic principle: essential oils. Signs: vomiting, diarrhea.

Mentha spicata (Garden Mint, Lamb Mint, Mint, Spearmint) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox University or extension

Is Spearmint safe for kids?

We found no reliable source on this plant for young children, so we don't call it safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked with a doctor or poison control.

Ate some? Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 (a fee may apply). For a child, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 (US). If they are struggling to breathe or collapse, call 911. Don't give anything by mouth unless a vet or poison expert tells you to.

See all cat-safe plants, dog-safe plants and child-safe plants.

Similar names and close relatives

A shared name doesn't mean a shared answer: check the exact plant.

Peppermint Mentha × piperitasame genusCats: Mildly toxic; Dogs: Mildly toxic; Kids: Not sure
Corn mint Mentha arvensissame genusCats: Not sure; Dogs: Not sure; Kids: Not sure

Common names

By language (57)

aeb: نعناع
Arabic: نعناع مدبب, النعناع السنبلي, فلية, فوتنج, منتها
Armenian: Հասիկավոր անանուխ
arz: نعناع مدبب
Asturian: Hortelana, Hortolana
azb: سونبوللو نانه
Azerbaijani: Sünbüllü nanə, Sünbüllü nan
Bangla: পুদিনা, পুদিনা,
Basque: Mendabeltz
Belarusian: Мята каласковая, Кучаравая мята, Мята, Мята бахматая, Мята кучаравая, Мята простая, Мята пуховая, Мята халодная
Bulgarian: Джоджен, Гьозум, Гюзъм, Юзум
Cantonese: 綠薄荷
Catalan: Menta de bou, Menta verda, Herba bona, Herba sana
Chinese: 留兰香, 留蘭香, 假薄荷, 土薄荷, 波叶薄荷, 狗肉香, 狗肉香菜, 留兰香（绿薄荷）
Czech: Máta klasnatá
Danish: Grøn Mynte, Krusemynte
Dutch: Aarmunt, Groene munt, Kruizemunt, Spearmint
English: Spearmint, Spear mint, Common mint, Garden mint, Lamb mint J, Mackerel mint
Estonian: Rohemünt
Faroese: Aksmynta
Finnish: Viherminttu, Kähäräminttu
French: Menthe verte, Menthe crépue, Menthe douce, Menthe en Grappe, Menthe en épi, Menthe frisée, Menthe Nana, Menthe Nanah
frr: Krüüsemant
Galician: Hortelá verde, Hortelá
German: Grüne Minze, Krause Minze, Spearmint, Speer-Minze, Wald-Minze, Waldminze, Ähren-Minze, Ährige Minze
Greek: Δυόσμος
Hebrew: נענע קרחת
hsb: Zelena mjetlička
Hungarian: Fodormenta, Zöldmenta
Indonesian: Bijanggut domba
Irish: Cartlainn gharraí
Japanese: スペアミント, オランダハッカ, スペアーミント, チリメンハッカ, ミドリハッカ, 緑薄荷
kab: Naɛnaɛ
Korean: 스피어민트
Kurdish: Nane, نانە
kw: Menta wuwdhel
Lithuanian: Šaltmėtė, Menthe Verte
Macedonian: Кадраво нане, Зелено нане
mwl: Huortelana
Norwegian Bokmål: Grønnmynte
Persian: نعناع زینتی
pnt: Δέζ'μ'
Polish: Mięta zielona, Mięta kłosowa
Portuguese: Hortelã-verde, Hortelã, Hortelã-comum, Hortelã-das-cozinhas, Hortelã-das-hortas, Hortelã-de-leite, Hortelã-dos-temperos, Hortelã-vulgar
Quechua: Ispiha muña
Russian: Мята колосистая, Мята имбирная., Мята кучерявая, Мята садовая
sco: Spearimint
se: Ruonáminta
Slovak: Mäta klasnatá
Slovenian: Klasasta meta, Zelena meta
Spanish: Menta hortense, Yerba buena española, Batán, Hierba buena, Hierba buena común, Hierba romana, Hierbabuena, Hierbahuerto
Swedish: Grönmynta, Krusmynta, Hjärtmynta, Menthe Verte
Telugu: పుదీనా, పుదీనా ఆకు
Thai: สเปียร์มินต์
Turkish: Mızraklı nane, Kıvırcık nane
Ukrainian: М'ята кучерява, Кучерява м'ята, М'ята колосовидна
Welsh: Mintys ysbigog, Mint

Flowers

In flower: July to September (from 1,815 flowering iNaturalist observations worldwide)

Characteristics

Growth habit: Forb/herb
Lifespan: Perennial
In the US and Canada: Alaska: introduced, Canada: introduced, Hawaii: introduced, Lower 48 states: introduced

Photos

FlowerPhoto: Jon Sullivan, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
FlowerPhoto: Anders Hastings, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
FlowerPhoto: M. Whitson, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
FlowerPhoto: Sandy Wolkenberg, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Simon Eugster -- Simon 13:07, 2 July 2006, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Andreas Rockstein, CC BY-SA 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: AnRo0002, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Tim McLeod, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF
Photo: AnRo0002, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: nachob, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF
Photo: AnRo0002, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Tueros Laura, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF

More in Mentha

Sources: classification from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.