Herbs > Peppermint Herb

Information on, uses of and how to grow peppermint:

Name
Mentha piperita.

Family
Labiatae.

History
First recorded by John Ray an English naturalist in 1696. Peppermint contains menthol which has long been used to treat sprains etc and to flavour peppermint sweets.

Growing pattern
Perennial.

Seeds
Buy Peppermint Seeds from The Green Chronicle (Pay in $US, £, Euro).

How to grow
This herb grows easily from seed.

Soil condition/position
Peppermint grows very quickly from runners and spreads rapidly. It needs to be kept under control, some people grow it in an old bottomless bucket sunk into the soil. It can also be pot grown provided it is kept well watered.

Appearance
It grows to a height of 60cm with red stems and pinky/lilac flowers. its leaves are dark green.

Uses
Peppermint is used for flavouring sweets and in rubs for strains and sprains. A refreshing tea can be made from the leaves and a finely chopped leaf added to hot chocolate makes an interesting change.