I am getting my gardening notebook caught up, making sure I have info sheets on everything out there so far and now I have a question. I have a Texas Betony (aka Wood Betony among others). Stachys coccinea It is supposedly in the Mint Family because of it has square stems, but doesn't smell minty. My in-laws have the same plant and call it a mint. Mints are mentha..... http://www.npsot.org/Boerne/newsletters ... 0Betony%22 http://www.toddshikingguide.com/FloraFauna/Flora151.htm http://www.magnoliagardensnursery.com/p ... s_Tex.html How can a plant named Stachys coccinea be in the family Mentha? I prefer a short, easy to understand explanation please. Everytime I ask Randy a computer question he goes into great depth well beyond what I asked....my eyes glaze over and I pass out.
The Wikipedia page for Lamiaceae (mint family) should offer some more insight Toni http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamiaceae For instance look at some of the plants in the same family It doesn't seem to be a necessity to have a mint smell to belong in the family. Hope this helps
A question I forgot to ask before was basically that. Can a plant to a member of the Mint family but not be a mint. That seems strange but I guess to the botanists it makes perfect sense. Thanks Frank.
I guess mint just had the honour (misfortune?) to bear the family name that's all. I would love to be able to just converse in the Latin names as it would clear up so much confusion. But that's easier said than done.
