Peppermint Essential Oil

Peppermint Essential Oil (Mentha piperita) from India is Therapeutic Quality Essential Oil steam distilled from the flowering tops.

FAMILY: Lamiaceae

Peppermint Essential Oil Description & Botanical Information

Peppermint is a hybrid cross between water mint and spearmint. There are a large number of mints that are grown in people’s gardens, but Mentha x piperita is the classic peppermint that has the strong, minty smell and taste. It’s the peppermint that you most often find in dinner mints and in peppermint candies.

Although it was originally a cultivated hybrid of M. spicata and M. aquatica, it grows on its own all over the place. The USA is the largest producer of peppermint essential oil, but Eastern Europe, Italy and Morocco are also producers.

EXTRACTION: The leaves and flowers are picked just before maturity. 600 lbs. of fresh plant will yield about 2 pounds of essential oil from steam distillation.

CHARACTERISTICS: The essential oil is clear to pale yellow or pale olive green, and it has a strong, fresh minty aroma. If it’s not properly stored, it will darken and become thick and eventually turn into resin. Aromatically, it can overpower other oils so should be used sparingly. It blends wonderfully with eucalyptus, rosemary, lavender and lemon.