Peppermint

History

Peppermint (Mentha × piperita) is a naturally occurring sterile hybrid between watermint (Mentha aquatica) and spearmint (Mentha spicata), though its cultivation as a distinct variety began in England around 1750 when it was first grown commercially in the village of Mitcham, Surrey—an area that became so famous for peppermint that "Mitcham Mint" remains a byword for quality. The hybrid had likely existed for millennia wherever the parent species grew together, but English cultivators were the first to recognize its superior menthol content and propagate it deliberately. Peppermint's high menthol concentration (40-50% of its essential oil) creates the distinctive cooling sensation that made it immediately popular for digestive complaints and headache relief. By the 19th century, commercial peppermint cultivation had spread to the United States, with the Pacific Northwest and Michigan becoming major production centers. The plant's sterility means it produces no viable seeds—all peppermint must be propagated vegetatively from runners or cuttings, which has the benefit of maintaining genetic consistency but also means it cannot spread by seed like other mints. Peppermint's aggressive spreading habit through underground runners has made it notorious among gardeners; the saying goes that there are two kinds of mint growers: those who contain their mint, and those who've given up.