Last year I bought some peppermint that I was able to successfully overwinter outside in a pot, but since it's started growing for the new season I've noticed something very strange.
The new growth looks very different from how it used to be.
Before it was more oval with lobed edges, smaller, and didn't have much fuzziness to it. Now the leaves are coming out bigger and more elongated with pointed shape, serrated edges, and noticeable hairs on it. It seems to have lost a lot of that sweet peppermint smell and has almost a more 'bitter' smell. Honestly it reminds me more of regular mint or spearmint.
I guess my question is, could it have "reverted" to expressing the traits of a parent mint? I know peppermints aren't a true variety; they are made by crossing certain kinds of mint. Could the overwintering (US zone 6-ish) have had that effect?
A bit strange perhaps, but I was curious if anyone has seen this before.
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For what its worth, this has happened to me on more than one occasion - and in fact, is happening right now! I have even started spearmint from seed, had it live in a pot for a season, and now second season in the pot, I'm watching a portion of what is in the pot morph - more elongated, serrated-looking leaves, slightly darker in color, bristlier stems and generally more aggressive growth habit. Weird!