Mentha pulegium L.
Mentha pulegium
Mentha pulegium, commonly known as European pennyroyal or mosquito plant, is a flowering perennial herb native to Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. It grows in damp meadows, around pools, and along stream margins. The plant has creeping or erect branched stems reaching up to 40 cm in height, with square cross-sections that can be hairless or densely hairy. Leaves are narrowly oval, downy, and sparsely toothed towards the tip. The small flowers are densely packed in whorls at the nodes and are mauve in color.
Details
Lamiales
Lamiaceae
Mentha
The active chemical in pennyroyal is pulegone, a ketone that acts as an enzyme inhibitor. Pulegone is metabolized by the liver and can form toxic metabolites such as menthofuran, which can cause hepatotoxicity. The plant contains 80% to 92% pulegone, which gives it a strong peppermint flavor.
Pennyroyal has been used traditionally as an insecticide and pest repellent. It is also known for its medicinal properties, including use as an emmenagogue and abortifacient. Historically, it has been used to treat gastrointestinal ailments, skin conditions, and respiratory issues. The plant's oil is toxic and should be used with extreme caution.
June to mid-summer, sometimes as late as September
40 cm
Mauve
Damp meadows, around pools, along stream margins, seasonally damp pasture, roadsides, watercourses, wet woodland, and abandoned fields
Info
Pannon Flora Ltd. was founded on December 13, 1999, by Gábor Janik, who retains 95% ownership. Janik holds an MSc in Horticulture from the University of Horticultural Sciences (1986) and an Advanced Professional English Certification from the College of International Trade (1990). The company specializes in bird feed production and export, primarily serving markets in Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK, alongside cultivating and distributing imported/exported horticultural seeds. It maintains exclusive partnerships with JOEUN Seed (South Korea) and Takii Europe (Japan), a leader in professional seed breeding and production. Pannon Flora collaborates with certification bodies such as NÉBIH (National Food Chain Safety Office), MERT Kontroll, and SGS Hungary to ensure compliance and quality. The company works with approximately 400 Hungarian growers, ranging from small-scale producers (under 5 hectares) to mid-sized farms and large-scale agricultural enterprises. This profile emphasizes agribusiness expertise, technical partnerships, and operational scalability tailored to international client needs.
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