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Mint

Mentha × piperita

Vintage botanical illustration of Peppermint (Mentha × piperita) on aged parchment, featuring bright green serrated leaves, reddish stems, purple-pink flower spikes, and detailed studies of the flowers, buds, leaves, stem, and seeds. Below, an English cottage garden features a stone cottage, flowering herbs, a wooden chair with a tartan blanket, a winding stream, and a charming stone bridge.

meet the plant

Fresh, fragrant, and wonderfully invigorating, Peppermint is one of the most recognizable herbs in the world. A natural hybrid of watermint and spearmint, this vigorous perennial produces bright green leaves, reddish stems, and delicate spikes of pinkish-purple flowers. Its unmistakable cooling fragrance comes from the aromatic oils held within its leaves. Long cherished in gardens, kitchens, and traditional herbal preparations, Peppermint has also earned a place in magical folklore as a plant of purification, prosperity, healing, and renewal. Its lively nature and enthusiastic growth make it a fitting symbol of abundance and fresh beginnings. Whether growing beside a garden path or steeping in a comforting cup of tea, Peppermint brings a refreshing little spark wherever it appears.

magical correspondences

Purification, Cleansing, Protection, Healing, Prosperity, Abundance, Money Drawing, Good Fortune, Luck, Renewal, Vitality, Energy, Mental Clarity, Focus, Concentration, Alertness, Communication, Inspiration, Motivation, Success, Positive Energy, Spiritual Refreshment, New Beginnings

element

Fire

planet

Mercury

energy

Masculine / Projective

folklore & old ways

The Nymph Who Became Mint

In Greek mythology, Minthe was a beautiful water nymph who attracted the attention of Hades, ruler of the Underworld. According to one version of the tale, Persephone became jealous and transformed Minthe into a lowly plant beneath her feet. Yet Minthe's fragrance remained, rising whenever her leaves were crushed. Thus, the humble mint plant became a fragrant reminder of a rather unfortunate romance.


A Welcome for Ancient Guests

In ancient Greece, mint was associated with hospitality. Fragrant herbs were used to freshen homes and welcome visitors, and mint became a symbol of gracious hospitality. Imagine entering a Greek household and being greeted by the refreshing scent of freshly gathered mint.


The Herb of the Underworld

Mint also had a place in ancient Greek religious traditions. In the Homeric Hymn to Demeter, the goddess breaks her fast with a drink called kykeon, made with barley, water, and a fragrant herb called glechon, generally identified as pennyroyal, a member of the mint family. This drink later became associated with the sacred Eleusinian Mysteries.

practical magic

The Mint Money Charm

Peppermint has long been associated with prosperity, good fortune, and abundance in herbal magic. Its refreshing fragrance and enthusiastic growth make it a lovely symbol of opportunities multiplying and good things flourishing.


For this simple charm, gather three dried peppermint leaves and a small coin. Place them together in a tiny cotton pouch, or fold the leaves into a small piece of paper with the coin.


Hold your charm between your hands and imagine prosperity flowing into your life, bringing opportunities, security, and enough to share.


Speak these words:

Mint so green and coin so bright,
Draw abundance day and night.
Let good fortune find its way,
And grow a little every day.


Tuck the charm into your purse, wallet, or a drawer where you keep your money. Whenever you come across it, take a moment to welcome the possibilities of prosperity and abundance into your life.

oddments & curiosities

A Plant with Two Parents and a Mind of Its Own

Peppermint has a rather interesting family tree. It is a natural hybrid of two other members of the mint family: Watermint (Mentha aquatica) and Spearmint (Mentha spicata).


The little multiplication sign in its botanical name, Mentha × piperita, is actually a clue to its mixed parentage!


But Peppermint has another curious characteristic. Because it is generally sterile, it spreads primarily through underground runners rather than seeds. These creeping stems travel beneath the soil, sending up new plants as they go.


Give Peppermint a comfortable patch of garden, and it may soon decide that the neighboring flowerbeds belong to it as well.


A plant with two parents, very few viable seeds, and absolutely no respect for property boundaries!

plant correspondence index

Know the Magic, but Not the Plant?

Looking for a little courage? A pinch of prosperity? Perhaps something to encourage sweet dreams? The Correspondence Index will help you find just the right botanical companion for your magical intentions.

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