Peppermint
Mentha × piperita
📖 About this plant
Peppermint is one of the most widely used medicinal herbs, prized for its high menthol content that provides cooling relief for digestion, headaches, and congestion. A natural hybrid, it spreads aggressively and is best grown in containers to prevent garden invasion.
🧑🌾 Care requirements
Partial shade to full sun (4-6 hrs)
Every 1-2 days
Moderate to high (50-70%)
15-28°C
Rich, moist, well-draining loam; does not tolerate drought; pH 6.0-7.0
Balanced liquid fertilizer every 4-6 weeks during growing season; compost mulch
🌐 Common Names
📋 Plant facts
- 🌍 Origin
- Europe, Middle East (hybrid of M. aquatica × M. spicata)
- 📏 Max height
- 30-90 cm
- 📐 Spread
- 30-60 cm
- 🕰️ Bloom time
- Summer
- 🎨 Bloom color
- White, Pink
- 🍃 Foliage color
- Green
- ⏳ Lifespan
- Perennial
- 📈 Growth rate
- Fast
- ☠️ Toxicity
- Non-toxic; menthol oil can be harmful to pets in concentrated form
- 🌱 Propagation
- Stem cuttings; root division; runners — extremely invasive, grow in containers
🛡️ Health & Safety
Non-toxic; menthol oil can be harmful to pets in concentrated form
Common issues
- Rust fungus on leaves
- Spider mites
- Aggressive root spreading (invasive)
- Root rot
💡 Care tips
- Contains menthol used for headaches and digestive relief
- Grow in containers as it spreads aggressively by runners
- HARVEST leaves anytime for fresh or dried use
- Pest-repellent properties make it a great companion plant
