PlantFiles: Peppermint
Mentha x piperita

Wonderful plant, and so easy to grow. Spreads like crazy if planted in a sunny spot like ours is, which is great if you want it to spread like we do. Grows even faster if you keep it watered.

After being bit a couple of times by spiders, and multiple times by fire ants while working in the yard, in addition to having a terrible flee problem with our cats that none of the usual flee treatments was working on, we needed something to repel these insects, and the normal granules for repelling these insects were just not working as well as we would like, as we were unable to use them close to the lake that is in our backyard, as the granules are very toxic to fish. So the fire ants just moved out close to the lake whenever we treated the yard with the chemicals.

We don't have that problem with the mint though, as we can plant it anywhere that we want, without worrying about it being toxic to the fish or our pets. In addition we're putting something natural into the ground instead of some kind of harsh chemicals.

Although it is recommended that peppermint be planted in containers, we planted it right into the ground, all around our house, around the outside of our yard, and in the front of our shed, as we want it to take over our yard, as we'd rather have a yard full of nice smelling peppermint plants than a yard full of spiders, flees, and ants.

In addition to the peppermint plants, we also planted spearmint plants around one side of our yard and around several trees, chocolate mint all along the lake, and several catnip patches for our cats that have worked wonders in repelling the mosquitoes and keeping our cats entertained.

We had to do something because of the terrible insect problem that was caused by having a lake just 50 feet from our back door, so chose to treat these insects naturally with mint plants than by using harsh chemicals. And it's working.

I only put 'neutral' on this because I have it under control (so far).
My husband planted this in our veggie garden without my knowledge or knowing that it could take over the world. It's in full sun and has gotten 3 ft. tall, lush, with virtually no pests that I can detect. I love being able to go out and pick a few tops out of it to put in a pitcher of tea.

ive grown chocolate mint fer well this will be my 5th year with it

ive had it sence day 1 in pots an ive loved it no issues yet ive found it great to prevent weeds i really love everything about it

i have this mint from my uncles house thaty i took some cuttings of had some purple but it seems good conditions are takin it away i think this may be it

So easy, it has to be confined to a pot in the soil. Full sun, good drainage, benign neglect, and trim the runners or it will try to take over.

Very easy to grow, mine loves the damp soil around my pond.

Highly invasive, but a delightful plant. Plant where you can control it, or where you can let it spread.

Great for teas and cooking, I enjoy it in my garden just to walk by and crush a stem for a summer scent refresher.

As posted above,peppermint is good for all kinds of purposes. Here is a recipe for my fellow tea lovers. Just to let you know, I never measure anything,so quantities are total guestimation.

4tbs cut up peppermint leaves
6 pieces of dried orange peel
2 cloves
4 c. boiling water

Put all herbs in tea ball pour the boiling water over it and allow to steep to desired strength

Peppermint can be controlled by planting it in full shade. It barely spreads, and the essential oil is very concentrated because of its struggle to survive.

Peppermint is a sterile hybrid derived from a cross between Mentha aquatica and Mentha spicata. This is a vigorous, creeping perennial that can grow from 12-36 inches tall.Like all mints can be invasive.The lavender flower spikes bloom in mid-summer. Stems are usually purple and leaves can also be purple-tinged, more so if it's suffering from a shortage of water.Peppermint leaves are used in herbal teas and salads. Peppermint tea can be used as a stimulant,a cure for flatulence and has antiseptic properties.It is used in treating indigestion,sore throats,colds,and morning sickness. Not to be given to infants in any form.