Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)

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Mentha x piperita
L., Lamiaceae
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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: la bo he

English: black peppermint, curly mint, hairy peppermint, mint, peppermint, white peppermint

French: menthe poivrée

Japanese: koshou hakka, pepaa minto, seiyou hakka

Spanish: hierba buena, menta, menta piperita

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Rhizomatous perennial herb, the stems glabrous to sparsely pubescent, often purplish; leaves variable, petiolate, the blades 1-6 x 1-3.5 cm, lanceolate-elliptic to oblong-ovate, ovate, or suborbicular, somewhat rugose, cuneate to rounded or cordate at base, sharply acute to apiculate at apex, serrate at margin, pubescent to glabrous; inflorescences spicate to subcapitate, the terminal verticils congested, the basal ones more distant, mostly glabrous except on calyces; calyx 3-4 mm long, tubular, purple and dotted with oil glands, the teeth subequal, ciliate, narrowly acuminate, much shorter than calyx tube at anthesis; corolla 5-6 mm long, glabrous, the tube exserted; stamens small, included; nutlets mostly absent (plants sterile)" (Smith, 1991; p. 234).

Habitat/ecology:  "Commonly escaped from cultivation in the temperate parts of the world, occurring along roadsides, streams, and margins of woods, and as a weed in poorly kept fields" (Wiggins & Porter, 1971; pp. 405-406). In Victoria, Australia, naturalized in riparian vegetation and damp sclerophyll forest (Swarbrick & Skarratt, 1994, cited in Csurhes & Edwards, 1998; p. 179).

Propagation:  Seed and rhizomes. The seeds are dispersed by water. (Csurhes & Edwards, 1998; p. 179).

Native range:  "Indigenous in Europe and now widespread in cultivation" (Smith, 1991; p. 234).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. &
Island group
Location Cited status &
Cited as invasive &
Cited as cultivated &
Cited as aboriginal introduction?
Reference &
Comments
Australia (Pacific offshore islands)
Norfolk Islands
Norfolk Island introduced
invasive
Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 9)
"A garden escape, preferring wet habitats". Vouchers cited: P. Ralston 1 (A), P.S. Green 2417 (K), P.S. Green 2443 (K), W.R. Sykes NI 506 (CHR)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Floreana Group
Floreana Island introduced
invasive
cultivated
Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Isabela Group
Isabela Island introduced
invasive
cultivated
Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Isabela Group
Volcán Sierra Negra, Isabela Island introduced
invasive
cultivated
Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
San Cristóbal Group
San Cristóbal Island introduced
invasive
cultivated
Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Santa Cruz Group
Santa Cruz Island introduced
invasive
cultivated
Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Santiago Group
Santiago Island introduced
invasive
cultivated
Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Federated States of Micronesia
Chuuk Islands
Satawan Atoll introduced
Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 241)
Cult.?
Fiji
Fiji Islands
Viti Levu Island introduced
cultivated
Smith, Albert C. (1991) (p. 234)
Voucher cited: DA 16767
French Polynesia
Society Islands
Tahiti Island   Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 62)
French Polynesia
Society Islands
Tahiti Island introduced
cultivated
Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013)
var. citrata (J.F. Ehrhart) J.I. Briquet
Cultivée
Kiribati
Kiribati
Kiribati (Republic of) introduced
cultivated
Thaman, R. R. (1987) (p. 41)
Nauru
Nauru Island
Nauru Island introduced
cultivated
Thaman, R. R./Fosberg, F. R./Manner, H. I./Hassall, D. C. (1994) (p. 157)
Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. &
Island group
Location Cited status &
Cited as invasive &
Cited as cultivated &
Cited as aboriginal introduction?
Reference &
Comments
Australia
Australia (continental)
New South Wales introduced
invasive
National Herbarium of New South Wales (2013)
Naturalised
Australia
Australia (continental)
Australia (continental) introduced
invasive
Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (p. 179)
Victoria
Isolated naturalized populations
British Columbia (province of Canada)
Province of British Columbia
Canada (British Columbia) native
U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
China
China
China (People's Republic of) introduced
cultivated
Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013)
Beijing Shi, Nanjing Shi, and other cities.
Japan
Japan
Japan introduced
Mito, Toshikazu/Uesugi, Tetsuro (2004) (p. 188)
New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand (country) introduced
invasive
Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. (1988) (p. 779)
"Streams, rivers, drains and lakes, particularly in still or slow-flowing water. Plants of peppermint are often submerged or partly so and may form dense stands".
South America (Pacific rim)
South America (Pacific rim)
Chile (Republic of) introduced
cultivated
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
United States (west coast)
United States (west coast states)
USA (Oregon) native
U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
United States (west coast)
United States (west coast states)
USA (California) native
U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
United States (west coast)
United States (west coast states)
USA (Washington) native
U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. &
Island group
Location Cited status &
Cited as invasive &
Cited as cultivated &
Cited as aboriginal introduction?
Reference &
Comments
Canada
Canada
Canada native
U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
United States (continental except west coast)
United States (other states)
United States (other states) native
U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
United States (continental except west coast)
United States (other states)
USA (Florida) native
U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)

Comments:  "Widely cultivated & naturalized" (GRIN).

Control:  If you know of control methods for Mentha x piperita, please let us know.


Need more info? Have questions? Comments? Information to contribute? Contact PIER! (pier@hear.org)

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This page was created on 22 JUN 2004 and was last updated on 8 DEC 2006.