Give morning sun and afternoon shade as Phoenix heats up. Confine runners and keep roots consistently moist; mint is not a drought-tolerant desert shrub.
EdibleCool-season crop
Growing spaceVegetable bedClimate fitUrban core · USDA 9b–10a · Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b · Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9bCrop familyLamiaceae (mint)Life cyclePerennial herbPhoenix planting windowOctober–November or February–April for establishment.How to plantTransplant or divide rooted runners; seed does not reliably reproduce named types.Plant spacing12–18 in, preferably in a contained bed or potFrostTolerates light frost once established; cover during a hard freeze.Time to harvestClip stems after establishment; no fixed maturitySuccessionCut repeatedly; divide established clumps.Special categoriesEDIBLETypical harvestClip stems through the mild season.
Before you plant
These conditions determine whether it will thrive.
Cold hardinessHardy here
Cold hardy perennial. It may die back in a cold snap and regrow from the roots.
Heat toleranceShade from late-afternoon sun
Survives Phoenix summers with shade and steady water, but leaves scorch in full afternoon sun.
Give morning sun and afternoon shade as Phoenix heats up. Confine runners and keep roots consistently moist; mint is not a drought-tolerant desert shrub.
Best regional fit: Urban core · USDA 9b–10a, Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b, Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b.
Light
Sun exposure
Full winter sun; give leafy crops afternoon protection during warm fall and spring weather.
Water
Irrigation
Keep the vegetable root zone evenly moist with regular irrigation; adjust to rain, soil, and temperature rather than using a fixed summer schedule.
Planting & stewardship
How to help Mint thrive
1
Prepare a fertile, well-drained bed and keep seed or transplants evenly moist through establishment.
2
Thin to the final spacing; crowding reduces harvest quality.
3
Watch for aphids and caterpillars and protect sensitive growth from a hard freeze.
4
Harvest before sustained spring heat causes bolting or poor quality.
