PlantFiles: Egyptian Mint
Mentha niliaca

Bought this from a local nursery and planted it in a barrel half. It got tall, then died back in winter. This spring, it covered almost half the barrel. I use it in my tea, and it tastes great. Regular pruning will make it branch out more. My first mint and still one of my favorites.

I've had this plant for at least two years(more likly to be three really), and it's done fairly well in it's pot all that time.I've never gotten mine to bloom, but I'm hoping that this year it may come out with a few.
Like other mints keep it pinched back fairly often so that it will branch out and spread faster.If pinched often it'll fill a pot attractively.You also have the added benefit of fragrant mint cuttings that could be dried for tea.Or used to propagate another plant.
My plant was obtained from a garden center near my house where the owner had let it grow wild in his beds for show.He loves sharing information and gave me several mints and other herbs like this,allthough it took me a while to find the plant's proper names.It seems to be little known and underused,but Egyptian mint could be a nice perrenial bedding flower in small herb gardens in our area(it dies back in the winter here unless brought indoors).I really wish more people would take it up for some variety.