Mint Peppermint

Description

Mentha x piperita – peppermint

Botanical name: Mentha x piperita
Common names: Peppermint
Family: Lamiaceae (mint family)
Plant type: Herbaceous perennial herb
Habit: Vigorous, spreading by runners
Pot size: 9cm pot
Eventual size: Approx. 30–60cm tall × spreading
Foliage: Aromatic dark green leaves, often flushed purple, with a strong, cool peppermint scent
Flowers: Slim spikes of small lilac-purple flowers in summer (July–September)
Scent: Strongly aromatic, cool peppermint foliage
Aspect / light: Full sun to partial shade
Soil: Moist, fertile; any pH
Hardiness: RHS H7 (very hardy, below −20°C); USDA zones 5–9
Exposure: Sheltered or open
Native range: Garden hybrid; mints are native to Europe and Asia
Toxicity / pet & child safety: Generally considered non-toxic to people and pets

Mentha x piperita, peppermint, is a vigorous aromatic herb with dark, purple-flushed leaves and a strong, cool peppermint scent. Easy and fast-growing, it is best contained, as it spreads energetically.

GardenAdvice notes

The classic peppermint, with its strong, cool, menthol scent, is a vigorous aromatic perennial with dark green, often purple-tinted leaves. Wonderfully easy — in fact almost too easy, spreading fast by underground runners — it is a must-have aromatic herb, best grown in a container or contained bed to keep its enthusiasm in check. Its summer flowers are loved by bees.

Growing & planting

Plant in spring in moist, fertile soil in full sun to partial shade. Because it spreads so vigorously by runners, grow it in a pot, or in a bottomless bucket sunk into the border, to stop it taking over. Keep it moist for lush, aromatic growth.

Care & maintenance

Low-maintenance apart from keeping it in bounds. Cut it back through the season to encourage fresh growth, and cut down old growth in autumn or late winter. If grown in a pot, divide and refresh it into new compost each spring, as it soon exhausts a container. Keep well watered.

Propagation

• Division: Lift and divide, or detach rooted runners, in spring — extremely easy.
• Cuttings: Sprigs root readily in water or moist compost.

Pests & diseases

Generally trouble-free, though mint rust (orange pustules on the leaves) can occur — remove and destroy affected growth. Its main trait is vigour, spreading widely if not contained.

Uses in the garden

Best grown in a container on a patio or by the door, or in a contained bed; its flowers are a valuable addition to a pollinator planting where its spread is welcome.

Wildlife value

The summer flowers are very attractive to bees, hoverflies and other pollinating insects, so letting mint flower is a bonus for wildlife.

Toxicity & safety

This herb is generally regarded as non-toxic to people and pets.

GardenAdvice tip

Peppermint is the coolest, sharpest-scented of the mints — and, like all of them, a determined spreader, so the golden rule applies: grow it in a pot. Keep it moist and well fed, cut it back through the season for fresh growth, and refresh potted plants into new compost each spring, as they soon exhaust the pot.

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