How to Grow American Pennyroyal (Hedeoma pulegiodes)

By Matt Gibson

When in bloom , American pennyroyal attracts a number of pollinator andother good insects , include carpenter bee and sticker bees .

Keep in judgment , however , when using European American pennyroyal that it can be a bit invasive , like its mint congeneric , and may spread out into undesirable arena if it is not regularly cut back or contained with strong , deep border to block off its roots from spreading out . American pennyroyal , on the other handwriting , is not invading , but still has pest deterring potential drop as a companion plant in garden beds .

Varieties of Pennyroyal

There are two dissimilar kinds of pennyroyal , both of which are toxic , and both of which are used as flea deterrents and pest repellant , and both of which have potential drop as a protective companion plant for pest prone works in the garden . European pennyroyalis the common name for the Mentha pulegium metal money , which is a penis of the mint fellowship of plants , and considered the true mintage of pennyroyal . Like its mint family relatives , European pennyroyal is incursive , and involve to be cut back regularly , or contained by constitute in containers or in fix that have deep , strong borders to prevent spreading .

American pennyroyal , is the common name for the Hedeoma pulegioides species , which is not a member of the mint family , but still equipped with a sassy , minty perfume . Hedeoma pulegioides is commonly called American pennyroyal , but is also bonk as tickweed , mosquito plant life , American fictitious pennyroyal , mock Hedeoma pulegioides , squaw tidy sum , and stink balm . Both mixture of pennyroyal are low - growing plant with fuzzy stems . The American pennyroyal has a square stem and grows only six in to one substructure high .

The two miscellany can be identify by the number of stamen they have . European pennyroyal has four stamens , while American pennyroyal possess only two stamen . The American pennyroyal has little , sparse parting , and is rather ordinary until around July , when the plant start to blossom , produce pallid blue clusters of small , pretty , minty - smelling flowers .

Growing Conditions for American Pennyroyal

Plant American Pennyroyal in a location that receives partial sun and open shade , with ironical to fair soil . American pennyroyal will also tolerate full sunshine , but will take average or greater H2O provisions when uprise in full sunlight locations . American pennyroyal will also stand slender , rocky soil , and will adapt to most soil conditions .

How to Plant American Pennyroyal

Plant American pennyroyal seeds outside in autumn or store them in the fridge to embed outdoors in other spring orstart indoors under grow lights . Once seedlings emerge , they can easy be transplanted into the garden in mid - outflow . Seeds involve igniter to bourgeon but will grow rather speedily after sprouting . Plant American pennyroyal seeds in prepared layer after risk of frosts have authorize . Plant seed on the soil open and dampen the soil with a light mist from a atomizer bottle . Keep the dirt in the seed layer moist throughout sprouting and sprouts should start to emerge in two week .

bulge new American pennyroyal plants from cum each spring by sowing indoors under produce Christ Within on the airfoil , or just below the control surface of a moistened seed - starter soil premix . The optimum temperature for sprouting is 70 degrees Fahrenheit . Moiststratificationspeeds up germination . start seeds indoors is preferred , but you could also part seed outdoors by planting them on the surface , or just beneath the surface of the stain in the fall to the end of winter . Once American pennyroyal plants are established outside , they will reseed themselves naturally and easily . Once indoor seedlings sprout , they can be transplanted out of doors very easily .

Care for American Pennyroyal

American pennyroyal plant do not require much maintenance after the seedling become established . allow H2O in cases of extreme heat or drouth . Divide established pennyroyal plants once every three year during the other week of spring . Pinch off the terminal end of the plant to promote a more compact condition .

How to Propagate American Pennyroyal

American pennyroyal is propagate from seed , cuttings , or rootstalk part in the spring . For more info on how to propagate via seminal fluid , concern to the section above titled , “ How to Plant American Pennyroyal . watershed established plants every three year in the other workweek of bounce for optimal form and output .

Garden Pests and Diseases of American Pennyroyal

Due to the strong scent of American pennyroyal ’s foliage , it is a lifelike deterrent for most garden insect and pests . American pennyroyal has no get it on problems reported with specific gadfly or plebeian garden diseases .

How to Harvest American Pennyroyal

The flowering top and folio of American pennyroyal are typically reap when the plant life is in flower . Considering the perniciousness of the oils that are extracted from the efflorescence of the pennyroyal plant , harvest home and storing pennyroyal should be bequeath in the mitt of experient pro .

American pennyroyal is not the most beautiful works that you could mature in your garden . It ’s not a stopper , or an centre - catch garden front while . Even when it is in bloom , it ’s not going to take anyone ’s intimation away . It ’s not going to provide you with nutrient throughout the grow season , or pull through you money on produce .

However , American pennyroyal can grow in poor soils , it attracts beneficial insect and deters pestilence . It can help with erosion control and can ameliorate soil conditions in the locations where it is planted . Though it will most probably never win any garden merit awards , American pennyroyal is a very versatile plant life that make out with several benefit that make it a worthwhile addition to the modern garden .

Toxicity Warning: Don’t Consume Pennyroyal

For decades , products were created using pennyroyal to make flea deterrents and other pest repellant , a vaporization to plow nasal congestion from coldness , and an extract used to detoxify the human body . Though pennyroyal is still used to make flea deterrents and blighter repellants , recent developments , such as the death of two infants in California who were yield pennyroyal teatime , have induce scientists to reconsider ingesting pennyroyal in any form , as it istoxic , and potentially lethal to human beings .

In 1994 , a college pupil died from drinking tea made with only 2 teaspoons of pennyroyal fossil oil over a two day period . In 1992 , a healthy heel passed away from clobber a humble amount of pennyroyal oil off of its fur . It should have come as no surprisal that pennyroyal should not be ingested in any strain , as it was used as an abortion cure over 2000 year ago .

These fateful incident involving the function of pennyroyal of the essence petroleum , which was originally articulate for therapeutic and homeopathic purpose , and to habituate as an worm repellant , has cause the oils to be taken off the market , as well as other products curb pennyroyal that were intended for human intake .

The active ingredient in both the American and the European species of pennyroyal , called pulegone , has been used as a flavoring agent and perfume fixings for ages due to its pleasant mint - like smell and taste . Recent information has lead to more restriction on the use of products stop pulegone , especially product designed for human usance , as it has been demonstrate to be highly toxic . Pulegone is still used in pesterer repellants , but is no longer used as a flavoring factor or cold remedy . alas , some lesson have to be learned the hard way , as was the casing with the inclemency of pennyroyal ’s toxicity .

Household Uses of Pennyroyal

Though ingest any form of pennyroyal should be avoided , the plant has several household habit that should not be overlooked . The dried leaves of pennyroyal plants can be placed around the bedding area of your menage pets . The essential oil of pennyroyal used to be apply to flea collar but has been found to be harmful to pregnant Arabian tea , causing them to have miscarriages , and has since been removed from the market place . For the guard of your pets , only use the fresh or dried leaves of the pennyroyal plant for pest maintenance .

For the same reason hotdog have been make out to roll around in a pennyroyal patch , frame crushed pennyroyal stem in your pockets , or wrapped inside your handkerchief , can deter gnats and mosquito .

Though more enquiry is needed , pennyroyal might also be beneficial in the garden . Some nurseryman have reported having success underplanting their eggplant crops with pennyroyal to discourage flea beetle . Pennyroyal plants might be utilitarian as companion plants when paired with pest prone crops in the garden .