The two most common culinary varieties of mint are peppermint and spearmint. Although they are used interchangeably, peppermint is the more pungent of the two. Peppermint has bright green leaves and purple-tinged stems, while the leaves of spearmint are gray-green.
Mint is available fresh, dried, as an extract, and in the form of oil of spearmint or oil of peppermint, both highly concentrated flavorings.