(The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2021)
PEPPERMINT'S
perenn
1m
ial H
IMPACT ON SOCIETY
YB
RI
D
Mentha Piperita L.
he
b
of
r
W
ate
rm
int +
S pear mint
Cultivation
Grown In... Optimal soil temperature: >10°C
Optimal Temperature Range: 15-25°C
(Government of Ontario, 2012)
Europe Asia
North America Soil Type: All soil types
Soil pH: 5.5-7.5
**MINIMAL
(Government of Ontario, 2012)
maintenance required** Amount of Water: moist but well-drained site
(Johnson, 2006)
(Most water of all other mint species
(Johnson, 2006)
Sun Exposure: Full to partial sun exposure
(Johnson, 2006)
(Odle & Wurges, 2022)
Reproduction
Vegitative propagation (asexual) through stolons/rhizomes
(underground runners).
8-10cm stolons planted in early spring with a spacing of 40-60cm apart
(National Horticulture Board, n.d.)
Rhizomes expand horizontally, developing new root systems and
sprouting new shoots from nodes (the area of the stem where buds
form). (MasterClass, 2021)
Process For Commercial Growth...
1. modified potato digger used to harvest
underground rhizomes for vegetative probation.
2. Machinery is used to plant rhizome pieces into
new fields.
3. How It's Grown: Cutting from stock plants kept
in greenhouse over winter, then grown on a
farm (Government of Ontario, 2012) seeds aren't used for
Mint fields are cycled every
production (Government
3-5 years. (OSU College of
of Ontario, 2012) Agricultural Sciences, n.d.)
Peppermint Oil
Flowers Medical parts: Active Ingredients in
(dermal, vascular, ground
tissue)
volatile oil,
Peppermint Essential
flavonoids, phenolic
Oil:
acid, triterpenes are
Menthol - main active
derived from whole
ingredient (found in
Distillation of peppermint
shoot system leaves and flowering tops
plant at low temp
(Harlan, 2013) of plant) Menthone
Harvested shortly
Menthyl acetate - gives
before bloom for
minty smell and flavour
Leaves highest oil content
Stem
vascular,
(dermal, (Odle & Wurges, 2022)
(dermal, vascular, ground tissue) ground tissue) (Odle & Wurges,
2022)
Importance and Impacts
<80% world's population use traditional
Probably the most important commercial
medicine and medicinal plants (especially
aromatic herb in the world today from the
plant extracts and essential oils) for their
standpoint of the size of the area cultivated for
primary health needs (Hassan, 2017)
oil distillation (Hassan, 2017)
Health Bennifits:
Ulcer healing Anti-obesity Reducing IBS
Anti-spasmodic effects Anti-cancer Treatment of non-ulcer dyspepsia
Anti-bloat effects Antidiabetic activity Anti-headache
Anti-lipid peroxidation Immunomodulation Reducing gastrointestinal complications
Health Drawbacks (wrong dosage):
hypersensitivity reaction heartburn bradycardia
contact dermatitis perianal burning muscle tremor
abdominal pain
(Hassan, 2017)
Impact on Canadian Society
Many Indigenous peoples turn this plant into a beverage, but also drink it as a medicinal tea to treat
colds, coughs, chest pains, stomach pains and heart ailments. The Editors of Encyclopaedia
Britannica, 2021)
$4.3 million of peppermint oil imports (3301240000 - Essential Oils of Peppermint (Mentha
Piperita), 2022)
great economic importance, being used by the flavour, fragrance, and pharmaceutical industries
(Hassan, 2017)
Next Steps
The price of peppermint oil is on the rise as naturopathic medicine gains popularity so...
Low maintenance requirements = more people can grow it at home and reap health benefits
To combat health risks:
More education on dosage as it not a prescribed medication (Y-Charts, 2022)
Guneet Sandhu
