Mint and Peppermint – The Small But Fine Difference

Often, mint and peppermint are used synonymously. But are they really the same plant? No, there is a difference between mint and peppermint. One plant is not simply the other.

What's the best thing to turn to when you're sick? That's right, peppermint in every form. Whether as a tea, a cold bath, or for inhaling – peppermint is a true all-rounder. Many confuse this plant with its close relative – mint.

It's easy to confuse the two plants; after all, both mint and peppermint belong to the same genus, Mentha. This explains their similar appearance: both grow as herbs and have jagged leaf margins. There are also many color variations within both species. From light green to dark green to reddish hues, each variety within the species differs. This makes it challenging to distinguish between mint and peppermint at first glance.

The mint genus today encompasses over 30 different species, many of which are hybrids available commercially. Some of these, including peppermint, arose naturally. Peppermint owes its existence to the accidental cross-pollination of water mint and spearmint with green mint.

Peppermint has a very high menthol content. This makes it an enormously important medicinal plant, and for this reason, it was also recognized as the Medicinal Plant of the Year in 2014. A real celebrity, indeed!

Peppermint definitely doesn't have its botanical name, Mentha x piperita, for nothing. And its German name, "Pfefferminze" (pepper mint), also hints at the plant's slightly peppery taste. This is due to its high menthol content. Just like humans, plants inherit traits from their ancestors: in peppermint's case, it's the genes of green mint, which is more commonly known by its English name, "spearmint."