Pennyroyal Herb - Hedeoma pulegioides, Labiatae (Lamiaceae) (mint family)
Hedeoma's original meaning is obscure. The species name comes from the Middle English meaning "mock pennyroyal"; pulegium comes from the Latin for "flea," referring to this herb's traditional use as a flea and bug repellent. Squawbalm, squaw-mint, and pudding-grass are folk names for our diminutive yet powerful native pennyroyal.
Ongnehem was the Huron name for this fragrant, self-sowing annual mint. They put it in their soup of corn and gourds, along with wild onions, to give a wholesome flavor, as was recorded in the 1600s by early explorers in southern Canada. Many other native uses have been noted, primarily for healing and medicinal needs.
Pennyroyal plant favors dry woodlands from Quebec to Georgia and westward to Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Michigan. Tiny bluish flowers appear in the leaf axils throughout late summer. The small lace-shaped leaves can be toothed or smooth-edged along these slender, branching plants, which rarely stand more than twelve to eighteen inches tall. Pennyroyal often grows in clusters along old wagon trails and footpaths where its highly aromatic qualities can surprise travelers even in the dead of winter.
Traditional uses:
Like the European pennyroyal, Mentha pulegium, our native species, H. pulegioides, was greatly respected as an herbal medicine and used with caution, as both could be toxic and abortive. Many tribes made a soothing tea of this native herb to relieve headaches and cramps and used it as a skin wash to treat rashes and irritating itching. The fresh or dried plant (whole) also served as a valuable insect repellent.
Modern uses:
Pennyroyal tea has been a reliable cold remedy for centuries. Even a mild tea will promote sweating, relieve fevers, and soothe coughs, flu symptoms, headaches, and indigestion. Herbalists continue to use these teas or tinctures to induce menstruation and for late-onset, crampy menses. Some midwives use pennyroyal in late-term pregnancy to assist in childbirth.
Tickweed is yet another name for this remarkable herb, as it is a valued tick repellent. Many hunters and hikers rub their boots and socks with these plants before setting off through the woods. Many people simply place a little pennyroyal in their socks, pockets, and bandanas in order to be "bug-free" while outside.
Cautions:
Do not use during pregnancy. Pennyroyal herb can be very toxic. The essential oil can cause dermatitis for some people, and pennyroyal tea or tincture should only be used with great caution, as it can cause liver damage.
Growth needs and propagation:
Pennyroyal likes dry shaded ground in woodland settings Once it settles into a place it likes, it will self-sow annually.
Companions:
The Pennyroyal plant grows well with goldenseal, hepatica, Indian turnip, moccasin flower, and bayberry.
