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Mentha x piperita vulgaris

Common name:	Black Peppermint	Family:	Labiatae
Author:	L.	Botanical references:	200
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	In large quantities this plant, especially in the form of the extracted essential oil, can cause abortions so should not be used by pregnant women.
Range:	Britain.
Habitat:	A natural hybrid, M. aquatica x M. spicata, found in moist soils in ditches, waste places etc[9].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	4	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	5

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	M. x piperita var. vulgaris[H]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Candymint [H], Peppermint [H],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	piperita = pepper like; vulgaris = common;
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Lamiales. Renamed to Lamiaceae -- Mint family

Physical Characteristics

Perennial growing to 0.45m by 1m . It is hardy to zone 3 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from August to October. The scented flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects. It is noted for attracting wildlife. We rate it 4/5 for edibility and 5/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Cultivated Beds, Sunny Edge, Dappled Shade.

Edible Uses

Condiment; Leaves; Tea.

Leaves - raw or cooked. A strong peppermint flavour, they are used as a flavouring in salads or cooked foods[2, 27, 105]. This plant should not be used by pregnant women, see the notes above on toxicity.
An essential oil from the leaves and flowers is used as a flavouring in sweets, chewing gum, ice cream etc[183].
A herb tea is made from the fresh or dried leaves[21, 183].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Abortifacient; Anodyne; Antiseptic; Antispasmodic; Aromatherapy; Carminative; Cholagogue; Diaphoretic; Refrigerant; Stomachic; Tonic; Vasodilator.

Black peppermint is a very important and commonly used herbal remedy, being employed by allopathic doctors as well as herbalists[9]. It is also widely used as a domestic remedy. This cultivar is considered to be stronger acting than white peppermint (Mentha x piperita officinalis). A tea made from the leaves has traditionally been used in the treatment of fevers, headaches, digestive disorders (especially flatulence) and various minor ailments[222, 238].
The herb is abortifacient, anodyne, antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, cholagogue, diaphoretic, refrigerant, stomachic, tonic and vasodilator[4, 9, 21, 165, 238]. An infusion is used in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome, digestive problems, spastic colon etc[254]. Externally a lotion is applied to the skin to relieve pain and reduce sensitivity[254]. The leaves and stems can be used fresh or dried, they are harvested for drying in August as the flowers start to open[4].
The essential oil in the leaves is antiseptic and strongly antibacterial, though it is toxic in large doses[222, 254]. When diluted it can be used as an inhalant and chest rub for respiratory infections[254].
The essential oil is used in aromatherapy. Its keyword is 'Cooling'[210].

We have a more details factsheet on the history and medicinal use of this plant. Email webmaster@pfaf.org for details.

Other Uses

Essential; Repellent; Strewing.

An essential oil is obtained from the whole plant. It is used medicinally and as a food flavouring[2, 46, 57].. It is also an ingredient of oral hygiene preparations, toiletries etc[238].
Peppermint leaves are used as an ingredient of pot-pourri[238]. They were formerly used as a strewing herb[14].
The plant repels insects, rats etc[14, 18, 20]. Rats and mice intensely dislike the smell of mint. The plant was therefore used in homes as a strewing herb and has also been spread in granaries to keep the rodents off the grain[244].

Cultivation details

Succeeds in most soils and situations so long as the soil is not too dry[1, 200]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. A sunny position is best for the production of essential oils, but plants also succeed in partial shade. Prefers a slightly acid soil[16].
A commonly grown herb[4], it is often cultivated commercially for its essential oil[61]. This is the black form of peppermint and it is said to produce a superior essential oil, making it the preferred choice as a food flavouring and for medicinal purposes. The oil is of better quality when the plant is grown on dry soils[115].
Most mints have fairly aggressive spreading roots and, unless you have the space to let them roam, they need to be restrained by some means such as planting them in containers that are buried in the soil[K].
Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus.
The flowers are very attractive to bees and butterflies[24]. A good companion for growing near cabbages and tomatoes, helping to keep them free of insect pests[20].
Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[233].

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. Germination is usually fairly quick. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in the summer. Mentha species are very prone to hybridisation and so the seed cannot be relied on to breed true. Even without hybridisation, seedlings will not be uniform and so the content of medicinal oils etc will vary. When growing plants with a particular aroma it is best to propagate them by division[K].
Division can be easily carried out at almost any time of the year, though it is probably best done in the spring or autumn to allow the plant to establish more quickly. Virtually any part of the root is capable of growing into a new plant. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. However, for maximum increase it is possible to divide the roots up into sections no more than 3cm long and pot these up in light shade in a cold frame. They will quickly become established and can be planted out in the summer.

Scent

Plant: Crushed Dried: The whole plant has a very strong smell of peppermint.

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

PFAF Web Pages

This plant is mentioned in the following web pages

Web References

Details of Medicinal Uses, Habitats, etc. in M. Grieve A Modern Herbal (1931) [4]
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for Mentha x piperita var. vulgaris (a possible synonym).

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.

[4] Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.

[9] Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981 ISBN 0-600-37216-2
Covers plants in Europe. a drawing of each plant, quite a bit of interesting information.

[14] Holtom. J. and Hylton. W. Complete Guide to Herbs. Rodale Press 1979 ISBN 0-87857-262-7
A good herbal.

[16] Simons. New Vegetable Growers Handbook. Penguin 1977 ISBN 0-14-046-050-0
A good guide to growing vegetables in temperate areas, not entirely organic.

[18] Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants. Watkins 1979
Details of beneficial and antagonistic relationships between neighbouring plants.

[20] Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening. Garden Way, Vermont, USA. 1978 ISBN 0-88266-064-0
Fairly good.

[21] Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983 ISBN 0-553-23827-2
Lots of information tightly crammed into a fairly small book.

[24] Baines. C. Making a Wildlife Garden.
Fairly good with lots of ideas about creating wildlife areas in the garden.

[27] Vilmorin. A. The Vegetable Garden. Ten Speed Press ISBN 0-89815-041-8
A reprint of a nineteenth century classic, giving details of vegetable varieties. Not really that informative though.

[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.

[57] Schery. R. W. Plants for Man.
Fairly readable but not very comprehensive. Deals with plants from around the world.

[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[105] Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.

[115] Johnson. C. P. The Useful Plants of Great Britain.
Written about a hundred years ago, but still a very good guide to the useful plants of Britain.

[165] Mills. S. Y. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.
An excellent small herbal.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[210] Westwood. C. Aromatherapy - A guide for home use. Amberwood Publishing Ltd 1993 ISBN 0-9517723-0-9
An excellent little pocket guide. Very concise.

[222] Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990 ISBN 0395467225
A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.

[233] Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990 ISBN 0 460 86048 8
A concise guide to a wide range of perennials. Lots of cultivation guides, very little on plant uses.

[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.

[244] Phillips. R. & Foy. N. Herbs Pan Books Ltd. London. 1990 ISBN 0-330-30725-8
Deals with all types of herbs including medicinal, culinary, scented and dye plants. Excellent photographs with quite good information on each plant.

[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.

[254] Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996 ISBN 9-780751-303148
An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.

Readers Comments

Weeds as a future source for human consumption

Martha D�az B (martha@ecologia.edu.mx) Thu Jun 28 17:02:26 2001

We reciently recieved this article on the use of various weeds in south america. We though that you might enjoy it.

Abstract

Weeds may constitute an additional food source for humans. Up to 66% of weed species are edible and abound in urban and agricultural environments. A total of 43 species were sampled in tropical areas in Coatepec Mexico (e.g. roadsides, urban vacant lots, streets, sugar cane and coffee plantations). A similar survey performed in a temperate area in Bariloche Argentina with 32 species sampled. At a greater geographic scale, a comparison between Mexican and Argentine weeds shows that, proportionately, the food parts vary a little between regions. In general, the uses go from leaves, seeds, roots, fruits, and flowers.

Link: Weeds as a future source for human consumption

Cross references: Plants: Acalypha wilkesiana, Amaranthus dubius, Amaranthus hybridus, Amaranthus spinosus, Anagallis arvensis, Alstroemeria aurea, Berberis buxifolia, Brassica rapa, Bidens odorata, Cichorius intybus, Cirsium vulgare, Claytonia perfoliata, Cytisus scoparius, Chenopodium album, Chrysanthemum leucanthemum, Canna indica, Chenopodium ambrosioides, Commelina diffusa, Commelina erecta, Drymaria cordata, Drymaria gracilis, Galinsoga quadriradiata, Heliconia caribaea, Hydrocotyle bonariensis, Hydrocotyle mexicana, Ipomoea purpurea, Ipomoea tilliacea, Ipomoea triloba, Hypochoeris radicata, Lactuca serriola, Malus sylvestris, Medicago lupulina, Melilotus albus, Margaranthus sulphureus, Oenothera odorata, Osmorhiza chilensis, Oxalis corniculata, Oxalis latifolia, Phaseolus vulgaris, Piper auritum, Plantago hirtella, Plantago lanceolata, Portulaca oleracea, Papaver rhoeas, Rumex acetosella, Rumex longifolius, Rumex obtusifolius, Sida acuta, Sida glabra, Sida rhombifolia, Sida spinosa, Solanum nigrum, Sonchus oleraceus, Spilanthes americana, Sanguisorba minor, Silybum marianum, Sonchus asper, Sonchus oleraceus, Stellaria media, Taraxacum officinale, Tragopogon dubius, Tradescantia fluminensis, Tagetes micrantha, Trifolium repens, Tripogandra serrulata, Xanthosoma robustum, Youngia japonica. Genera: Mentha.

Weeds as a future source for human consumption

Klaus (allmendeperma@web.de) Thu Aug 16 16:12:55 2001

I really wonder what this has to do with montia perfoliata. The edible uses of weeds might be interesting, but not as a comment to this plant.

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Bibliography

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
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We make no claims of magical effects or supernatural powers for any item in this catalog. In spite of legendary attributes or occult and craft tradition, such items are offered as curios only and beliefs concerning their magical effectiveness are related only for historical interest.