Patagonian Mint – The Daily Flower for 30 July

Tongue-trippingly entered on the botanical register as Chrysanthemum balsamita, var. tanacetoides, Patagonian mint also travels by the names of beaver tongue, balsam herb, mace, costmary and alecost. Not Pentecost, mind you, although it was used as a Bible bookmark in the days of knights and castles.

These days, however, you’re more likely to find Patagonian mint listed on the side of a tea box or box of pot-pourri, which is indubitably a more lucrative way of using the aromatic balsamic scent of the little yellow flowers. Whether that behavior constitutes commendable behavior is open to debate; the Patagonian mint’s floriographic connotation of virtue, however, is not.

Good for giving to: Saints and sniffers.

Great Patagonian mints in literature: It looks as if this flower must have been too good for the books.

Find out more about The Daily Flower series and floriography.

Tags: flowers, Patagonian mint, balsam herb, costmary, floriography