Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium) is a herbaceous, rhizomatous, aromatic, and medicinal plant, related to spearmint (Mentha spicata), and native to the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern regions. It has a tufted growth habit with square, erect, and branched stems that can reach up to 15.75 inches (about 40cm) in height. The leaves are small, opposite, delicate, lanceolate, hairy, with serrated edges, and green in color. Pennyroyal blooms in summer and autumn, displaying globular and dense inflorescences that resemble small “pom-poms,” with bilabiate, pink or purple flowers and long stamens.
Pennyroyal has been cultivated since ancient times for its aromatic and medicinal qualities. It was a common practice to burn the herb to repel fleas and other insects from homes, hence the name pulegium, derived from the Latin pulex, a reference to “fleas.” In addition to serving as a repellent, pennyroyal is also used for purifying water, scenting the environment, and seasoning beverages and food, such as teas, liqueurs, wines, salads, stews, roasts, puddings, etc. Its leaves contain a high concentration of aromatic essential oils with many properties. Greeks and Romans consumed the herb in the form of teas and infusions for medicinal purposes. See the table below for medicinal uses of pennyroyal.
In the garden, pennyroyal can be included in the home garden or, more recently, in gourmet and medicinal herb gardens. It thrives in pots and planters and adapts well to small spaces due to its creeping growth habit. Its rounded and dense appearance, as well as its flowering, make it an interesting ground cover, blending harmoniously as a useful plant in ornamental gardens. It also does well as a waterside plant, along the edges of rivers or lakes, softening artificial margins and rocks.
Pennyroyal should be grown in full sun or partial shade, in fertile soil enriched with organic matter and regularly irrigated. It prefers moist environments, such as riverbanks or lakesides, where it thrives best. However, it can also grow in drier locations, maintaining a lower stature and tolerating short periods of drought. It prefers a temperate climate to hot weather. In warmer regions, it is advisable to plant it in partial shade. Pennyroyal can be propagated through stem cuttings or seeds.
