Imagine being surrounded by a heady, vibrant, minty aroma whenever you walk on your lawn and walking a soft, flat carpet.
This is what a Corsican mint ground cover gets you. This Mediterranean- native plant is a popular alternative ground cover.
The highly versatile plant can be an excellent addition to your lawn or garden, provided you properly grow and care for it.
Besides growing this attractive plant in your yard, you can also put it in containers together with flowers and other herbs.
Keep reading to learn everything about Corsican mint lawn if you want to introduce it to your property.
Can Corsican Mint Be Used As A Ground Cover?
You can have Corsican mint as a ground cover and enjoy its benefits. This mint family aromatic groundcover is native to Sardinia, Corsica, Montecristo, France, and other Italian regions but has been naturalized in more European regions, including the British Isles and Portugal.
Typically, most mint plants are large, upright, and leafy and grow invasively and aggressively.
Also read: Dichondra Lawn Pros and Cons
On the other hand, the Corsican mint, also called Mentha requienii, is slow-growing, pretty diminutive, and ground-hugging instead of growing upright.
It has extremely small, rounded, bright green leaves, half a pink nail’s size. When summer comes, your lawn will be covered by small blue-purple flowers.
This plant makes an excellent cover for walks and pathways. It grows well in USDA zones 6 to 9, with fairly warm summers and moderately cold winters.
In addition, while it can grow in a place with partial or full sun, it does better in shaded areas.
Corsican Mint Lawn Pros And Cons
When deciding whether Corsican mint is the right ground cover for your lawn, examining the pros and cons is essential.
Corsican Mint Lawn Pros
- It produces a potent mint flavor.
- No mowing hence low maintenance.
- It’s not aggressive.
- It repels pests like rodents and munches on cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage.
- Medicinal properties- this plant is an antiseptic and traditionally used to treat indigestion.
- It’s used to make a bright-green liqueur called crème de menthe.
- Corsican mint flourishes in shady places.
- It generates a pleasant peppermint scent when walked on.
- Excellent for filling pathways, stepping stones, and your garden
- It has amazing brighter colors than grass.
Corsican Mint Lawn Cons
- Large quantities of Corsican mint are toxic to dogs.
- It’s considered an invasive plant in Southeast.
- It cannot tolerate cold winters.
- It needs regular watering since it’s not drought-resistant.
- You shouldn’t subject it to heavy foot traffic.
How To Plant Corsican Mint
You can grow Corsican mint from its seeds or propagation via division (more on this later). Experienced gardeners advise sowing the seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks prior to the last date of frost.
You are better off starting the process in early spring since the seeds take a while to germinate and become seedlings.
If you choose to sow the seeds outdoors, ensure the temperatures are consistently a minimum of 65° F.
Lightly press Corsican mint seeds into the ground, then lightly spray water on the soil. The seeds will take 7-14 days to germinate.
Ensure the seedling tank has a big drainage hole, and to encourage fast germination, place the container in a properly lit area during morning hours.
Move the container away when temperatures increase to safeguard the seedlings from heat. Also, maintain moderately humid soil, so water your lawn accordingly.
Watering practices and climate can interfere with how Corsican grows. On the one hand, it needs moist soil, thus requiring regular watering when dry, but on the other, soggy soil can cause fungal problems in the roots, hindering the plant’s growth.
Moreover, cold weather can stop this groundcover’s growth, leaving it frozen. The solution to this is to use a thin mulch layer to protect it or wait until spring for it to self-seed.
Corsican mint grows in different soil types, including sandy, normal, and clay. This is why it will take over your yard if left unchecked, providing good ground cover even in areas with poor soils.
How Fast Does Corsican Mint Spread
Unlike other mint plants that grow aggressively, Corsican mint is a slow-growing plant that is somewhat difficult to grow.
It barely grows over ¼ inch tall and spreads to a distance of 6 to 12 inches wide. However, it can provide excellent ground cover under the proper growing conditions.
Propagating Corsican Mint
As mentioned, the other way to grow Corsican mint is through propagation, with the easiest method being via division. This involves dividing Corsican plants into tiny pieces and then planting them in different spots.
The plant will self-seed and keep spreading, filling the bare spots, thus offering proper ground cover.
Since it’s invasive, you do not cover your whole lawn when propagating; just let the small divisions grow and spread.
FAQs
Will Corsican Mint Take Over Grass?
Corsican mint will not take over your grass overnight because, unlike other mint plants, it’s not aggressive. In fact, it’s regarded as a well-behaved creeper.
However, ensure the Corsican mint plants in your yard have ample room to spread comfortably.
Will Corsican Mint Choke Out Weeds?
If you allow Corsican mint to grow, it will spread and cover weeds.
Is Corsican Mint Toxic To Dogs?
Generally, Corsican mint leaves are harmless but can be toxic when dogs consume them in large amounts.
Does Corsican Mint Keep Bugs Away?
Corsican mint produces a pennyroyal-like fragrance that repels bugs. This scent is produced when this plant is stepped on.
When it comes to mosquitoes, the plant itself will repel them, but the oils in it can, which you must extract to create a mosquito repellent. While the mosquitoes will not live in the plant, they will happily live close by.
Conclusion
There are plenty of reasons to have Corsican mint on your lawn. For instance, it oozes a pleasant minty scent that will make your lawn smell great. Also, it’s used as ground cover, for medicinal purposes, and for cooking.
Moreover, it can be an outdoor or indoor plant. However, it requires more maintenance work than other mint plants, and you’ll need to watch out for your dogs to keep them from consuming too much of their leaves.
Hey there, I’m Derek Schew, a writer for Lawnholic.com, where we cover everything and anything related to lawns. As someone who’s spent countless hours tending to my own lawn, I’m passionate about sharing my knowledge and helping others achieve the perfect yard. From lawn care tips to product reviews, I’m committed to providing our readers with the most accurate and up-to-date information available. So whether you’re a seasoned lawn enthusiast or just getting started, I invite you to join our community and discover the joys of a lush, green lawn.
