groundcover layer
peppermint
mentha × piperita
aromatic armour for brassicas and doorways, loved by hoverflies. give it a sunken pot or it will annex the county.
functions
field guide
native to
Europe (a sterile hybrid)
height
0.3–0.9 m
spread
runs vigorously — best contained
hardiness
RHS H6 · USDA 3–8
light
part shade
moisture
moist
soil
rich and damp — contain the roots
uses
in the kitchen
leaves for tea and flavouring
traditional medicine
a traditional digestive; the active note is menthol
historical & folk use — not medical advice.
harvest
leaves just before flowering, when the oil is strongest
propagation
runners or division — the hybrid is sterile and won't seed
season
open the calendar →grower's notes
memberspropagation, guild role, and deeper ecology for peppermint — the members' view.
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relationships — grows well with
see peppermint on the relationship map →the takeaway
start a guild around peppermint
plant these together and the relationships on this page start working for you — feeders, protectors, and cover, layer by layer.
- groundcover
- peppermint — the anchor
- herbaceous
- stinging nettle
works inside: pest confusion planting · productive shade floor · herb spiral
design patterns using this plant