Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium)

Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium) is a bog plant that can grow 10cm – 50cm tall and 10cm – 50cm wide. In this growing guide we’ll learn the cultivation details and how to plant Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium).

This plant has several common names including: pennyroyal, churchwort, flea mint, organ herb or pudding grass.

This is a deciduous plant that takes 2-5 years to reach full maturity.

Plant profile

Common name: pennyroyal, churchwort, flea mint, organ herb, pudding grass
Scientific name: Mentha pulegium
Plant type: Bogs, Herbs, Perennials
Habit: Mat forming
Height: 10cm – 50cm
Spread: 10cm – 50cm
Foliage: Deciduous
Sunlight: Full Sun, Partial shade
Soil: Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Moisture: Moist but well drained, Poorly drained
Garden type: Informal Garden, Wildlife Gardens

Seasonal colors

How to plant Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium) – Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Whether small or large, formal or informal, every garden has space for an aquatic element. The sound and reflective qualities of water have long been used to add interest to gardens.

A pond, fountain or even a smaller water container greatly increases the variety of plants you can grow. In addition, they also encourage a wide variety of wildlife, including insects, frogs, toads and birds.

Together with plants, these elements offer a diversity of interests.

How to plant

In this section we will learn how to plant Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium), know its needs in terms of soil, watering and sun exposure.

Soil

Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium) is a plant that adapts to all types of soils, chalk, clay, loam or sand.

• The chalky soil is pale and contains chunks of calcium-rich rock. It is a fertile and well-draining soil, almost always alkaline.

• Clay soil is composed of more than 25 percent clay particles. These particles have a high moisture holding capacity and the soil is heavy to dig and can be waterlogged in winter (dry in summer).

• The loam soil is dark, rich in organic matter but balanced in minerals. It offers the best of all worlds, retaining enough water for the plants, but allowing excess moisture to drain away. This is the most desired type of garden soil, perfect for most plants.

• Sandy soil is light, porous and very easy to drain. It is a soil poor in organic matter and nutrients. It is composed of relatively large mineral particles that allow water to drain quickly.

It is not very sensitive to soil acidity or alkalinity and grows well in soils with pH acid, alkaline or neutral.

Regarding drainage, Mentha pulegium likes to grow in moist but well drained or humid or poorly drained soils.

Sunlight

Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium) is a plant that should be grown in full sun or partial shade positions.

Cultivation profiles – Growing Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium) – Raffi Kojian, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons