Spear-mint

Spear-mint is a Power Mint plant in Plants vs. Zombies 2. When she is planted, she immediately generates a number of higher-level Spikerocks on the board. She can also boost Spear-mint Family plants by increasing their damage, penetration, and more.

Spear-mint Family plants include:


 * Bloomerang
 * Spikeweed
 * Spikerock
 * Laser Bean
 * Homing Thistle
 * Cactus

Like other Power Mints, she cannot be imitated or affected by other mints. After 6 seconds, Spear-mint will disappear.

Spear-mint can be obtained with 100 mints in the Store when she is available.

Origins
Spear-mint's name is the portmanteau of the words "spear," which is a weapon with a long shaft and a pointed tip, and "spearmint", the real-life plant it is based on.

Strategies
Spear-mint spawns in five Spikerocks when planted. It is worth noting that these are permanent, and higher than level one. Spear-mint is a monster in regular levels, as planting her once guarantees that not even Coneheads will get past the first column, as well as being a good stopper for Chicken Wrangler Zombies and their Chickens and Weasel Hoarders and their Weasels. Since the Spikerocks don't despawn, repetitive planting can flood the lawn with them. It is worth noting, that the tiles must be empty for a Spikerock to spawn. This can save the amount of sun that would of been used for planting five Spikerocks, making this and the fact that you are now allowed to use Plant Food to instantly recharge a Power Mint really good for Last Stand levels.

In addition, the plants that she boosts benefit greatly often can take out entire hordes with a single shot. Laser Bean and Bloomerang are really good examples as when boosted by Spear-mint, can defeat entire lanes while Spikeweeds and Spikerocks can deal with zombies with higher health when boosted. Homing Thistle gets a benefit of dealing with targeted zombies more quickly when boosted, having potential to defeat more zombies than usual.

Spear-mint is very powerful in Battlez, as the spawned Spikerocks can pop open newly released Zombie Hamsterballs, whilst also being boosted and taking out the buffed zombies very quickly. When paired with Laser Beans and Bloomerangs (commonly used in whilst she was available), the zombie horde, even though stronger due to Battlez, can be wiped out quickly and effectively. Instant-recharging Spear-mint to boost Laser Beans is advisable.

Using Spear-mint in "Never have more than X plants" levels is a bad idea due to spawning additional Spikerocks on planting, so avoid using her in those levels and Big Wave Beach since she cannot spawn more Spikerocks if there is water over there. Thus, this is Spear-mint's greatest weakness.

Another use for Spear-mint is as a potential Gold Bloom. Since she spawns 5 Spikerocks, you can shovel these up in regular levels to obtain extra sun. However, the higher level your own Spikerocks are, the less sun will be generated as they would cost less. In Battlez, however, upgrades except Mower Launch do not work, so this use of Spear-mint is disabled.

Trivia

 * If the player has the Shovel Bonus Upgrade, using Spear-mint in a Last Stand level gives the player an opportunity to gain Sun by digging up the Spikerocks that she spawns.
 * Her disappearance refers to what she does in her Almanac.