The Herbarium
Part XII · Lookalikes
Field pair
Two mints, one name
Peppermint and Spearmint — take this sheet to the bed, not a guess to the kettle.
Easy to confuseTea kettle
Two mints, one name
Peppermint is a sterile hybrid; spearmint is the milder kitchen leaf. Sharing the word ‘mint’ is how a strong tea becomes a reflux night.
Peppermint is darker, often purple-stemmed, and menthol-sharp. Spearmint is brighter green and sweeter. Either can run a damp bed. Neither is medical advice.
The Herbarium — a teaching catalog, not a clinic. Traditional use is history, not a prescription. USDA 6b dates are a week either way, not a promise. Do not eat, drink, or harvest a plant you cannot name.