Mint has been prized for centuries, as Greek mythology attests. Pluto transformed the beautiful nymph he loved into this sweet-scented herb to save her from the wrath of his jealous wife.

The Roman poet Ovid wrote that mint was the symbol of hospitality, used to scour serving boards for guests. By the ninth century, a European monk writing about mint said there were so many varieties that he would "rather count the sparks of Vulcan's furnace" than enumerate them. Centuries later, in 1597, John Gerard discussed mint in his Herball, recounting that "they strew it in rooms and places of recreation, pleasure and repose, where feasts and banquets are made."

There are more than 600 named mint varieties, which continue to hybridize, so the monk might have been on to something. The amazing variety of mints is also a good reason to choose plants by flavor and scent rather than name.

Mint spreads rapidly by underground stems and can grow almost anywhere. While this means most mints are easy to grow, they can also be invasive. Many gardeners have found that growing them in flowerpots, barrels or in the ground in bottomless containers is a good way to keep them within bounds. Mints thrive in moist soil and some gardeners like to plant them under a dripping faucet or in another damp place where space is ample.

Mints are hardy herbaceous perennials that mature in a range of heights. Diminutive Corsican mint (M. requienii) barely reaches one inch, while Mentha x villosa, an apple- and spearmint-scented mint with large, round, hairy leaves and pink flowers, stands over three feet tall.

Mints can be identified by their squarish stems and pointed, fragrant and deeply veined leaves.

Peppermint (M. piperita) is probably the best known. True peppermint can reach three feet in height and is strongly scented, with small purple flowers spiking above dark green leaves. Red-striped candy canes, soothing digestive teas and some breath fresheners owe their bracing and refreshing flavor to peppermint.

Spearmint (M. spicata) is another well-loved mint used fresh or dried. It is often paired with lamb in the form of mint jelly or mint pesto, or used in cold drinks.

Corsican mint, a creeping, mat-forming plant, makes a wonderful ground cover in sun or partial shade for gardeners with ample water. It releases a minty or sage-like fragrance when pressed or stepped on and was a favorite cover for garden benches in medieval gardens.

Other mints have sometimes subtle, sometimes obvious ties to their names. Apple mint (M. suaveolens) grows two feet tall and has hairy, apple-scented, bright green leaves that are one to four inches long. Pineapple mint (M. suaveolens 'Variegata') has leaves with white markings and a faint fragrance of pineapple. Mint lovers can find mints that suggest chocolate, orange, lime, lemon and other fresh flavors.

You can propagate favorite or unusual mints easily from rooted cuttings taken in summer. Plants can also be divided in spring or summer, or you can sow seeds in spring. Thin seedlings to 12 inches apart. If you want to keep different mint varieties true, remove all flowering stems to avoid cross pollination.

One of the few ailments to plague mints is rust. If your mints develop rust, pull out the infected plants and throw them away. Don't compost them. Avoid overhead watering of healthy plants to avoid the problem in the future.

To harvest mint, pick leaves just before flowering or cut the stems. Plants will often grow new branches below the cut. Enjoy mint in salads, soups, jellies, hot teas and iced beverages.

Master Gardeners are volunteers who help the University of California reach the gardening public with home gardening information. Napa County Master Gardeners (www.mastergardeners.org) are available to answer gardening questions in person or by phone, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to noon, at the UC Cooperative Extension office, 1710 Soscol Ave., Suite 4, Napa, 253-4221, or toll-free at (877) 279-3065. Or e-mail your garden questions by following the guidelines on our web site. Click on Napa, then on Have Garden Questions?