Question: I found this plant tonight in a large field while flying my RC airplane. I thought it was mint, but …
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Question
I found this plant tonight in a large field while flying my RC airplane. I thought it was mint, but upon picking it, I was surprised that it smelled more like the oregano I had grown in my herb garden this summer. So I was wondering, is this some kind of wild herb? Or is it just a simple weed??? It has pretty purplish edges to the leaves. It's very aromatic. I live in West Virginia.
Answer
Dear Firebird 63, members of the mint family have a wide range of odors, from peppermint, to spearmint, to pennyroyal, to basil, to thyme, to oregano, to rosemary. All of these are mints (i.e., members of the Lamiaceae). Some mints even have fruiting or citrus odors. Without flowers, I will not be able to help you with the identification any further than this. Best wishes.
