Pennyroyal
Mentha pulegium
Historically, pennyroyal was used as a flea repellent, which is reflected in its species name 'pulegium', derived from the Latin word for flea ('pulex').
- Scientific name
- Mentha pulegium
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Lamiales › Lamiaceae › Mentha
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- decreasing
- Biome
- wetland
- Habitat
- Damp grasslands, ephemeral wet flushes, pond edges, and clay soils.
- Diet
- Photosynthetic (requires sunlight, water, and soil nutrients).
- Range
- Europe, North Africa, Western Asia, North America, Australia
- Size
- 10 to 40 cm tall, with creeping stems up to 50 cm long.
- Lifespan
- Perennial (individual plants can live for several years, spreading indefinitely via runners).
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat loss through wetland drainage, overgrazing, agricultural intensification, and scrub encroachment.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless to touch and possesses a strong, pleasant minty aroma. However, it is highly toxic if ingested due to the chemical pulegone, which can cause severe liver damage. Do not consume wild pennyroyal or use its essential oil. If ingested, seek medical help immediately.
Mentha pulegium , commonly (European) pennyroyal , or pennyrile , also called squaw mint , mosquito plant and pudding grass , is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Crushed pennyroyal leaves emit a very strong fragrance similar to spearmint. Pennyroyal is a traditional folk remedy, emmenagogue, abortifacient, and culinary herb, but is toxic to the liver and has caused some deaths. European pennyroyal is related to an American
Photo: zebedeugalinha, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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