How to Grow European Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium)

By Matt Gibson

All About Pennyroyal

European Pennyroyal is also commonly know as churchwort , stinking balm , mosquito mint , squaw mint , flea wad , pudding grass , and organ herb . Pennyroyal hails from the Lamiaceae plant folk , specifically from the Mentha genus , which also houses Spearmint , Peppermint , and over a twelve other minty varieties .

Mentha plant life are generally fragrant efflorescence herbs , and Mentha pulegium , or pennyroyal , is no unlike . It is an aromatic , low - growing , fawn perennial with medium - green , toothed leaves and a portmanteau word of upright and spreading stem that support little , tubular , lilac or lavender efflorescence throughout the summertime months . Pennyroyal ’s faint purple prime attract butterfly to the garden ( butterfly are not harm by ingesting pennyroyal pollen ) . The plant ’s fan out nature stool it a great choice for filling in any empty spot in garden bed and container . Plus , whatever set you border with pennyroyal will also take in it ’s pestilence - deterring protective powers as a neighborly endowment .

Growing pennyroyal is easy and rewarding . The vigorous herbaceous plant is incredibly adaptable to dissimilar growing environs , and patient of of just about anything except for dry soil . As long as you provide a dampish bed of grunge , European pennyroyal will spring up abundantly . append pennyroyal to your vegetable garden todeter harmful pestscan also greatly ameliorate your chance of create unmolested harvest .

growing pennyroyal

Household Uses of Pennyroyal

Pennyroyal should never be ingested for any reason , due to its toxicity . However , the plant life still holds several valuable menage uses . The leaves of the pennyroyal plant life can be dry out and put in and around the bedding of your positron emission tomography to deter fleas . Pennyroyal oil was once used on flea collars , but has been taken off the market because it has cause feline miscarriage . If you have ducky , keep them safe by only using fresh or dried folio from the pennyroyal plant for any form of pest management .

Dogs seem to be inherently aware of pennyroyal ’s pest deterring powers , as they have been known to roll around in a pennyroyal patch to absorb its fragrance . break down pennyroyal stems are quite barbed . Put them in your pockets or ingurgitate into your hankey to ward off mosquitos and gnat .

Pennyroyal plants are also valuable pest deterrents when plant in the garden as companion plants to pest - prone crop . More inquiry is involve , but gardener have been successful when underplanting pest - prostrate crops , such aseggplantwith pennyroyal plant to deter flea beetles from damaging their eggplant harvests . Like many relative of the pot plant , European pennyroyal is a little piece encroaching . Be fain to trim it back when necessary or plant it in an area that has strong , abstruse reach border to keep pennyroyal ’s vigorous roots from farm into area where it is n’t want . For a less invasive pest impediment presence , hear growing American American pennyroyal in the garden bottom . Both coinage of pennyroyal appeal pollinator like bee and butterfly stroke , as well as otherbeneficial garden insects .

growing European Pennyroyal

Varieties of Pennyroyal

There are only two sort of pennyroyal plant , European pennyroyal and American Pennyroyal . Both of the two species contain the toxic compound pulegone , so both can be used to produce flea and pest repellent Cartesian product , and both plant have pest hindrance aromas , making them in force familiar plants . Mentha pulegium , a mint relative , is commonly known asEuropean American pennyroyal , and is labeled the reliable pennyroyal cultivar . European pennyroyal , unlike its similitude , is somewhat incursive , and should be relegated to its desired location by originate it in planters or in garden area with well - established borders .

Hedeoma pulegioides , commonly called American pennyroyal , false pennyroyal and mock pennyroyal , shares many similarities with European pennyroyal , let in the pungent , minty aroma , but is not a tidy sum relative . Both varieties are solid ground concealment with hairy stems . The two pennyroyals can be mark by the number of stamen their flowers contain . The European variety show has four , while the American species contains only two .

Growing Conditions for European Pennyroyal

European pennyroyal enjoys partial sunlight , but will tolerate full Dominicus locations provided that the land is consistently dampen . European pennyroyal fly high in steadily moist , well - draining , loamy soil with a pH between 5.5 and 7.0 . Though it will adapt well to poor filth atmospheric condition , European pennyroyal will grow best in a rich soil that is high-pitched in organic matter , so sense complimentary to rectify your beds with well - rotted compost before planting .

European pennyroyal will expand in cool summer weather or red-hot summertime weather . It prefers humidness to dry desert air conditions , but it will conform to juiceless gentle wind climates if it is well irrigate . Pay near care to potted pennyroyal plant to see to it that they do n’t dry out out or become overheated .

How to Plant European Pennyroyal

European pennyroyal can be germinated indoors or outside with eminent success rates , but we evoke initiate your plants inside so that you could good monitor wet levels in the dirt . bring home the bacon a light source to help encourage sprouting . Sow seeds by pressing them gently into slightly moist soil , but leaving them uncovered . befog the soil with a spray feeding bottle to keep the seeds from drying out , keeping the surface of the soil moist at all clip .

works seeds directly into the garden after the last frost of the give or indoors in containers providing grease temperature between 65 and 70 degree for germination . seedling should commence to sprout up after seven to 21 twenty-four hours , usually around 14 to 15 days if the idealistic temperature and environment is provide . Sow or thin European pennyroyal six column inch asunder . transplanting seedlings out of doors after they develop a second set of “ genuine ” leave of absence and all threat of Robert Lee Frost has pass in your area .

Plant European pennyroyal next to any plant that needs aid deterring pests . There are no plants that do n’t grow well next to European Mentha pulegium , but due to its pest repelling ability , the herb is specially beneficial when institute near cabbage , kale , and cauliflower . Since pennyroyal is especially toxic to kat , keep it far away from catmint or catmint plants , so neighborhood kat do n’t digress into a pennyroyal patch in pursuit of their best-loved plants .

Care for European Pennyroyal

ply European Hedeoma pulegioides with regular tearing , keeping the open of the soil moist at all times . Pennyroyal fly high naturally on watercourse bank and in other low - lying spot where the soil is always moist .

European pennyroyal does n’t need a boost from any chemical fertilizers . Instead , the herbaceous plant favor to get its nutrition from soils fat in organic matter . Soils remedy with manure , compost , or foliage mould , will provide pennyroyal plant with all the nutrition needed to grow smartly throughout the yr . Too much fertilizer in the soil will slow or even stop pennyroyal from raise flowers .

dress back your European Hedeoma pulegioides to keep it from spreading out too far . root for up the sharpness where it is settle and spread out and trim as involve to keep it where you want it . Pruning [ https://www.gardeningchannel.com/pruning-tips/ ] back your pennyroyal plants may be a necessary undertaking hebdomadally in strong , blind drunk conditions . Cutting back pennyroyal after blooms die back aid keep the plant costless of detritus also .

Pennyroyal grows well in any sized container , and will even tolerate being tooth root bound . Pick a pot with adequate drainage and fill with commercial potting soil . Keep an eye on the ascendent cower through the drainage holes and into the ground below , because whoever made pennyroyal forgot to put in the quit .

How to Propagate European Pennyroyal

Propagating pennyroyal can be done by part , newspaper clipping , or by layering . The simplest multiplication method acting is to dig up a piece of Mentha pulegium and establish it in a novel location in moist soil . Pennyroyal naturally forms root all along its stem while spreading . take a piece of the plant from the source up allows you to initiate with a piece of the plant that has already begin work root . For this ground , propagating by division is the easiest way to make fresh pennyroyal plants . Divide pennyroyal plants every three long time to keep plants growing healthily .

Propagating from carving is fairly loose as well . Tip cuttings will easily root in moist soil or a vase of body of water . Branch cuttings can also be encourage to root by dipping them in a rooting internal secretion and putting the slash end into moist soil . After it set out to root , plant it in a unaccented , moist potting mix and wait for it to grow new leaves before transplanting it outdoors .

Another fashion to propagate European pennyroyal is to mime the way in which the plant naturally reproduces . To propagate pennyroyal by layering , just flex a branch and cover it with about an inch of grime . Then , place a small stone above to hold down the immerse offset and encourage moisture retention in the area . Soon , the remnant of the branch will take off to germinate new growth . At this degree , you may cut the old branch where it starts to go into the land .

Garden Pests and Diseases of European Pennyroyal

Due to its redolent pestilence repelling capabilities , there are few insects that dare to inconvenience oneself the European pennyroyal . Pennyroyal is also generally complimentary of root or leaf diseases as long as it is provided with a well - draining soil medium . However , two common flora disease at times trouble European pennyroyal plant when they are growing in an overcrowded , overly - wet , shaded environs . Powdery mildew and mint rust can become a trouble in environments like these . To prevent these diseases , keep your pennyroyal plants well - drain soil and in emplacement that receive plenty of sun . to boot , space your pennyroyal plants out properly to advance better air circulation .

How to Harvest European Pennyroyal

The pruned stanch and the dry out stems and leaf of the pennyroyal plant can be used to drive back common pestis . space abridge stems and dry leaves wherever you have a pest job , or put away them into pest - repelling potpourri field goal .

Though European pennyroyal is highly toxic when ingested , the aromatic herbaceous plant still has plenty of good timber and can be put to utilise in the garden and in general pestilence direction . The herb is well-off to grow , perfect for filling in plain spots in garden bed or containers . European pennyroyal is versatile , highly - adaptable , and a enceinte companion industrial plant for a variety of plague - prostrate garden favorites .

medication has n’t always been as scientifically informed as it is today . Pennyroyal has a long account of medicative use of goods and services for various complaint , but aesculapian science has evidence that pennyroyal is highly toxic and not at all safe for humans to ingest . lease pennyroyal internally can harm the liver and kidney , and can even be fatal . It should have been pretty obvious that pennyroyal is toxic , believe it was used as an miscarriage remedy over 2000 years ago .

The indispensable oil made from European Pennyroyal and American Pennyroyal flowers is especially toxic , and is strong enough to be considered a lethal poison . A college scholar die from drinking tea made with pennyroyal oil over a two solar day period in 1994 . He only ingested 2 teaspoons of the crude oil during that time . The active element in both metal money of pennyroyal is pulegone . The chemical compound has been used culinarily as a flavoring agent , medicinally , namely as a cold remedy . Thankfully , pennyroyal ’s toxicity is now commonly known , so pennyroyal is no longer used for culinary or medicative determination .

Despite the toxicity , pennyroyal still has a few home exercise . Pennyroyal , specifically the compound pulegone , is used to make flea hindrance , pest repellent , and it can be planted in the garden around plague - prostrate plants to protect them from infestations .