Pennyroyal
Mentha pulegium
Raffi Kojian
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Lamiaceae
- Genus:
- Mentha
- Species:
- Mentha pulegium
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 1-2 ft
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- jun, sep
- Bloom Colors:
- purple
- Ground Cover:
- Yes
Native Range
United States: California, Hawaii, Maryland, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington, Canada: British Columbia
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Brown-belted bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis), Brown-belted bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis), Fuzzy-horned bumble bee (Bombus mixtus), Fuzzy-horned bumble bee (Bombus mixtus), Obscure bumble bee (Bombus caliginosus), Obscure bumble bee (Bombus caliginosus), Red-belted bumble bee (Bombus rufocinctus), Red-belted bumble bee (Bombus rufocinctus), Two-form bumble bee (Bombus bifarius), Two-form bumble bee (Bombus bifarius), van Dyke bumble bee (Bombus vandykei), van Dyke bumble bee (Bombus vandykei), Yellow bumble bee (Bombus fervidus), Yellow bumble bee (Bombus fervidus), Yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii), Yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii) Butterflies:Acmon Blue (Plebejus acmon), Acmon Blue (Plebejus acmon), California Crescent (Phyciodes orseis), California Crescent (Phyciodes orseis), California Sister (Adelpha californica), California Sister (Adelpha californica), Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia), Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia), Common Wood-Nymph (Cercyonis pegala), Common Wood-Nymph (Cercyonis pegala), Dotted Blue (Euphilotes enoptes), Dotted Blue (Euphilotes enoptes), Eastern Tailed-Blue (Cupido comyntas), Eastern Tailed-Blue (Cupido comyntas), Field Crescent (Phyciodes pulchella), Field Crescent (Phyciodes pulchella), Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), Large Heath (Coenonympha tullia), Mylitta Crescent (Phyciodes mylitta), Mylitta Crescent (Phyciodes mylitta), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Purplish Copper (Lycaena helloides), Purplish Copper (Lycaena helloides), Woodland Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanoides), Woodland Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanoides)
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- moist, fertile, well-drained loam
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- Prefers damp habitats like marshes and stream banks