Fish mint (Houttuynia cordata) is a perennial plant native to Southeast Asia, China, Korea and Japan. It has many names such as Bishop’s Weed, Chinese Lizard Tail, Fish Wort, Fish Leaf, Rainbow Plant and Chameleon Plant. Despite being called “fish mint”, it’s not a member of the mint family. It does, however, spread aggressively like mint.

As its name suggests, the leaves have a slightly fishy smell. The flavor is less fishy with a slight tang. The leaves are used in Asian cooking fresh as a garnish, in salads, and in fresh spring rolls. They are also cooked with other vegetables and with fish.

Fish mint has a long history of medicinal uses. It is used to treat digestive issues, insect bites, fevers, coughs, influenza, kidney ailments and a host of other ailments. It should be noted that there is no scientific proof that fish mint has any medicinal efficacy and, in fact, causes severe allergic reactions if injected directly into the body. You should only use this herb in teas or as a paste for external use to be safe.

Fish mint thrives in wet locations and can even grow partially submerged in water. It will grow fine in your garden as long as you keep it well-watered. It does well in either full sun or partial shade. The plants grow to 2 to 3 feet in height with a spread of 3 feet. Small white flowers appear in early summer.

I have found this plant to be extremely invasive. It aggressively spreads by underground rhizomes so it is nearly impossible to predict where it will pop up next. It should be grown surrounded by some kind of barrier like a wall or a sidewalk or in a container.

Propagation is easy. Just make a cutting, dip it in rooting hormone and then plant it in a growing medium. Keep the soil moist.  You will know when your cutting has rooted when you see new leaves.  Plants with no roots cannot produce leaves.