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Do they smell or taste different? There's no real way to tell from the photos. In my experience, the way your farmer designated them is typical for the way each of them look. But it's quite often the other way around, and it's also quite often that they're both the same. Peppermint leaves are supposedly quite a lot darker than spearmint leaves, but I can't really see all that much of a difference from your photos. Some people will tell you to look at subtle differences in the teeth of the leaves; others say that peppermint stalks are always purple, never green; some people say that the flowers are arranged differently. Most of that is relative to form, in my opinion. There are countless variations of mint commonly sold under names like "mint", "spearmint", "common mint", "garden mint" and sometimes plants that look like "peppermint", and are sold under that name, are actually just another mongrel form of spearmint. You can buy packets of "peppermint" seeds from almost any nursery, and what grows will look a lot like a typical form of peppermint, but since peppermint is sterile, there's no way that it's actually peppermint. I guess the only definitive way to tell is by testing the oil composition, which you can do to a degree by taste and smell. I don't really know to describe the difference without resorting to confectionery, but it should be pretty noticeable. I was going to also say that if it's spearmint, you should be able to propagate it from seed. But a lot of people never see flowers from their spearmint so that's not likely to work as a test.

That’s a bit better. But show a pic standing 3’ away, that shows a big wide expanse. Also, if you can get under in, where there is an open span, like a corner cabinet or other big cabinet, or bar overhang, take a pic of that. If it’s man made, there are usually printings on the back.

" in spite of showing the most common, everyday symptom of lack of nitrogen: general yellowing. " And this may be where some of the confusion is coming in. A nitrogen deficiency is NOT characterized by a "general yellowing".....at least in an established or older plant (may show as a generalized off color in seedlings). It is the oldest (lower or inner) growth that first shows symptoms of yellowed foliage, never the new growth. That's where the plant pushes all of its nutrient reserves. If this were the issue with the plant in question - lack of adequate N - then we would see internal discoloration, not the external coloring the photos illustrate. And the new growth would not be as lush or profuse or as dense as is shown. And that is simply the way that specific nutrient deficiency works....it is not really up for debate! Yard, I am really having trouble understanding why you are not willing to accept this, including the input from two quite experienced horticulturists/plantspersons (floral and Embothrium), leaving my comments aside. It's not like yews of all types are rare commodities in either the PNW or the UK and both individuals confirm that very chartreuse, acid yellow/lime green is not an uncommon coloring for any new growth yet you seem to dismiss that as inconsequential or limited to only selected cultivars. I wish I had taken photos of the new stock at my local nursery when I was there last week, as ALL the yews were showing similarly colored new growth. It only lasts a matter of a couple of weeks before it takes on the more typical darker green color. And there is also the very real consideration that color perception is largely subjective - what seems anemic or bleached out to you looks perfectly normal to others - and that photos seldom portray color with total accuracy. I have to say that I do not see any "yellow" in the OP's photo.....just a very vibrant lime green. And the shrub appears to be extremely healthy with dense new growth and no obvious need for any fertilization at this time.