Cultivation and Harvesting:
Peppermint (Mentha piperita) is native to the Mediterranean. It has also been cultivated in the USA, Italy, Great Britain, Morocco, Argentina, and in Asian countries.

It is a perennial herb that grows to be 35–70 cm. Peppermint generally grows best in moist, shaded locations.

Propagation of Peppermint occurs exclusively by vegetative means, by transplanting runners about 10-15 cm long taken from a one-year mint culture. Placed in furrows distant 50-55 cm from one another and deep 8-10 cm, the runners are then covered with soil. Mint requires rich, well-drained soils and a lesser amount of fertilizers.

Peppermint oil is extracted from the whole plant above ground when 10% of the peppermint crop is in the flowering stage. Once the vegetable material has been harvested, the steam distillation should start within the shortest time possible avoiding fermentation of plant material. The yield of essential oil is from 0.4 to 0.8%

Odor profile:
Sweet, minty, and cool

Major Constituents:
Menthol, menthone, menthyl acetate, isomenthone, menthofuran,1,8-cineol, Isovalerate, Pinene, Limonene, neomenthol, Germacrene-d, trans-sabinene hydrate, and pulegone.

Application:
~ Peppermint is a good flavoring agent.
~ Many products contain peppermints, such as ice cream, chewing gum, sweets, mouthwash, toothpaste, candies, teas, tobacco, cough drops, alcoholic liqueurs, and digestive preparations.
~ It is also used in soaps, detergents, perfumes, cosmetics, and an ingredient in many herbal preparations.

Aromatherapy:
Peppermint essential oil finds its use in aromatherapy as an expectorant, it helps relieves nasal congestion, clearing the nasal passages gives easy breathing. Therapeutically, peppermint is used to treat many ailments related to the respiratory system, circulatory system, skin, immune system, nervous system, and digestive system.