Peppermint is an upright perennial herb that is a cross between watermint ( M. aquatica ) and spearmint ( M. spicata ) . It is most commonly grown as a culinary or medicinal herb and/or a ground cover. It spreads by rhizomes forming an attractive, though aggressive, ground cover. It is tolerant of various light levels and soils except for dry ones but prefers rich moist soil in partial shade. It does best in neutral soils of 6.0-7.0 pH. It does surprisingly well in shadier sites, only needing a minimum of three hours of sun a day. Consider growing in a pot 12-16" wide to help control its aggressive spread. If planting in the ground, space plants 18" apart. Use flowers and leaves fresh or dried in teas, beverages, jellies, syrups, candies, ice creams and mint sauce. Regularly pinching off the branch tips will promote bushier, leafier growth, increasing available harvest.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt)
Soil pH
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Wet
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
High
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Lanceolate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf feel
Smooth
Leaf value
Edible; Fragrant
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
The lance-shaped green leaves are 1-2 inches long and 1/2 as wide. The margins are unequally toothed and the tip is acute. Undersides are gland-dotted and have fine hairs.
Flower color
Pink; Purple/Lavender
Flower value
Edible; Fragrant
Flower form
Cyme
Flower shape
Tubular
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Terminal spikes of small pink to lavender tubular flowers in a dense whorl-like cylindric terminal spike, obtuse at the tip and sometimes interrupted on the stem. Stamens are extended. Blooms in summer and rarely set seed.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
If fruit, if set, is a dried calyx that contains 4 ovoid, smooth brown nutlets.
Stem color
Green; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
Stems are square, reddish-green and may have fine hairs.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Europe and Middle East
Attracts
Pollinators
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Leaves; Flowers
Harvest time
Fall; Summer
Fruit type
Capsule
Edibility
Leaves and flowers can be used in tea and flavoring for various dishes.