Vietnamese Mint vs Common Mint: Which Should You Grow?

Quick answer

Choose Vietnamese mint if you cook Southeast Asian food, have a damp or shaded spot, or want a herb that stays contained in a pot. Choose common mint if you want the familiar cool, sweet flavour for teas, salads and lamb, and you can give it room to spread or are happy to manage it in a pot. If you have space for both, grow them in separate containers so each gets the conditions it prefers.

Flavour and kitchen use: two very different mints

Vietnamese mint, also called Vietnamese coriander or laksa leaf, has a piquant, peppery and intensely fragrant flavour. It is the herb to reach for when you are making laksa, rice paper rolls, or a herb plate for pho, where its assertive character stands up to chilli, fish sauce and lime. Common mint is cooler and sweeter, with the familiar menthol note that works in teas, fruit salads, yoghurt sauces and with lamb.

Because Vietnamese mint is so pungent, a little goes a long way. Pick frequently to encourage compact growth, and add it at the end of cooking so the aroma stays bright. Common mint is more forgiving in quantity and can be used as a bulk herb or brewed fresh.

Growing conditions: damp shade versus adaptable spread

Vietnamese mint suits moist, shaded areas and spreads vigorously, so it is a natural fit for a pot where its spread can be contained. It also grows well in a damp corner of the garden, but be prepared to pull runners if you do not want it to travel. Common mint is similarly adaptable but prefers consistent moisture and some protection from the hottest afternoon sun; it will grow in more open positions than Vietnamese mint if watered regularly.

For both, regular picking keeps plants bushy rather than leggy. If you are growing in pots, use a quality potting mix that holds moisture and water before the mix dries out completely. Vietnamese mint is the more reliable choice for a shaded balcony or a spot that stays damp.

Containment and garden behaviour

Common mint is famous for running underground and popping up where you least expect it. If you plant it in open ground, sink a pot or a bottomless bucket to limit the roots, or keep it in a container. Vietnamese mint spreads above ground and roots at nodes, so it is easier to control by trimming, but it still needs regular attention in a garden bed.

If you want a low-maintenance herb patch, grow both in pots. That also lets you move them between a sunny winter spot and a shaded summer spot, which suits both mints in a hot climate.

Harvesting and storage

Pick Vietnamese mint tips often, taking the top few sets of leaves. This keeps the plant compact and encourages fresh growth. Use it fresh where possible because the aroma fades quickly when dried. Common mint can also be used fresh, and it dries and freezes better if you want a supply for winter teas.

If you are growing Vietnamese mint in a pot, you can bring it indoors to a bright windowsill before the first frost in cooler areas, or take cuttings to overwinter. Common mint is generally cold-hardy and will die back and return in spring in many regions.

Trade-offs at a glance

• Flavour intensity: Vietnamese mint is piquant, peppery and intensely fragrant; common mint is cool, sweet and milder. Vietnamese mint can overpower delicate dishes, while common mint may disappear behind strong Asian flavours. Match the mint to the dish rather than swapping one for the other.
• Growing position: Vietnamese mint is suited to moist shaded areas and spreads vigorously; common mint is more adaptable but still prefers consistent moisture and some sun protection. A damp, shaded spot favours Vietnamese mint; a brighter spot with regular water suits common mint.
• Containment: Vietnamese mint grows well in pots where its spread can be contained; common mint runs underground and needs a pot or root barrier in open ground. If you want the least fuss, grow both in separate containers.
• Harvest habit: Pick Vietnamese mint frequently to encourage compact growth; common mint also benefits from regular picking but is more forgiving if left for a week or two. Little and often keeps both plants productive.

Product facts

• Vietnamese Mint: Vietnamese Mint is also known as Vietnamese Coriander or Laksa Leaf, with an assertive flavour that is piquant, peppery and intensely fragrant. This is the flavour profile to choose if you cook laksa, pho or rice paper rolls and want a herb that holds its own against strong seasonings.
• Watercress 'Large Leaf': Watercress 'Large Leaf' grows easily in moist soil or by water and has a mild peppery flavour. If you have a boggy spot or a pot that stays wet and want a peppery leaf for sandwiches and salads, watercress is a practical companion to Vietnamese mint rather than a replacement.

Which mint should you grow?

Best for

• Cooks who make laksa, pho, rice paper rolls or other Southeast Asian dishes and want an assertive, peppery herb
• Gardeners with a damp, shaded spot or a balcony pot where a spreading herb can be contained
• Anyone who wants a herb that can be picked frequently and used fresh rather than dried

Not for

• Gardeners who want the familiar cool, sweet mint flavour for teas, desserts and lamb
• Anyone who wants a herb that can be dried and stored for months without losing its character
• Planting in open ground without a root barrier if you dislike a herb that travels