Pennyroyal Mentha Pulegium

Why I grow it
Pennyroyal is one of those plants that demonstrates rather nicely that useful and harmless are not the same thing.

I grow it as an aromatic, spreading groundcover rather than as something for the kitchen. It has strongly scented foliage, small flowers that attract insects, and works well where you want a low plant to spread through the ground layer.

At a glance
Type: Aromatic perennial herb / groundcover
Botanical name: Mentha pulegium
Growth: Low-growing and spreading
Flowers: Small lilac-purple flowers
Good for: Groundcover, aromatic planting and pollinators
Inventory: 5 plants

Important — not for eating
Despite its history in traditional herbal medicine, I sell pennyroyal as a garden plant, not a culinary or medicinal herb.

Pennyroyal can be toxic if ingested, and concentrated pennyroyal essential oil is particularly dangerous. Do not use this plant to make teas, remedies or preparations for internal use. Keep it somewhere sensible if children or animals are likely to eat garden plants. Poison Control

In the garden
Pennyroyal makes a low, aromatic groundcover and can spread enthusiastically when it's happy. That's useful if you've deliberately given it a job covering ground; considerably less useful if you expected it to remain politely where you planted it.

Care
Sun to part shade and soil that doesn't remain completely dry for long periods. Water while establishing. Trim or contain it if it starts heading somewhere it hasn't been invited.

What you’ll receive
One established Pennyroyal plant.

Plants naturally vary in size and shape and may be supplied in reused nursery pots or growing bags — perfectly useful plastic doesn't need replacing simply because it doesn't match.