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Yavapai County Native & Naturalized Plants

Mentha x piperita - peppermint

Plant Form: Forb or Subshrub

Family: Lamiaceae


   
 
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Forb Plant Description

Origin: Introduced   Life Cycle: Perennial
General Desc: Herbaceous perennial 1 to 3 feet tall and wide. Stem is square, characteristic of plants in the mint family. Leaves are very aromatic when crushed. Leaves and stems are covered in downy hairs. Plant is usually sterile.
Identification notes: Leaf blades egg-shaped to lance-shaped, generally peppermint- or spearmint-scented; flower cluster generally head-like, clustered at distal 3 to 5 nodes.
Height: 1 to 3 feet


Habitat

Habitat Description: Shaded riparian areas.
Plant Communities: Riparian
Elevation: Below 9500 feet


Flower Characteristics

Color: Purple or reddish-purple     Shape: Irregular in elongated clusters     Tubular: Y     Flowering Period: May - Sep
Description: The flowers are purple, less than 1/2 inch long, with a four-lobed corolla. They are produced in whorls around the stem and are largely concealed within the reddish-lilac corollas.


Leaf and Stem Characteristics

Leaf Color: Green     Leaf Type: Simple     Leaf Shape: Round or oval     Leaf Margin: Toothed     Leaf Attachment: Opposite     Leaves Clasp: N
Hairs: Leaves and stems     Spines: N
Leaf Description: The leaves are from 1 to 1-1/2 inches long, dark green with reddish veins, with an acute apex and coarsely toothed margins. The leaves and stems are usually slightly fuzzy. Leaves contain menthol and are very aromatic.


Fruit and Seed Characteristics

Fruit Notes: As a hybrid, the plant is usually sterile, producing no seeds and reproducing only vegetatively, spreading by rhizomes.


  Arizona Cooperative Extension
Yavapai County
840 Rodeo Dr #C
Prescott, AZ 86305
(928) 445-6590
Version 8.0  
http://cales.arizona.edu/yavapaiplants/SpeciesDetailForb.php  
Last Updated: Dec 13, 2022
Content Questions/Comments: Email Matt Halldorson  
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