Penny Royal

Pennyroyal, also called mosquito plant, pudding grass and squaw mint, is a member of the mint family once used by the ancient Greeks and Romans to flavor wine and pudding.

Early American colonists used the dried herb to discourage fleas and other pests, a purpose for which the herb is largely limited to today due to the presence of toxic compounds in the plant.

Pennyroyal is a perennial member of the mint family originally native to Asia and Europe but now naturalized throughout the Americas. Because the herb was used by the ancient Romans to flavor pudding, it also became known as pudding grass. Its reputation for naturally repelling insects gave rise to the common name of mosquito plant.

Certain organic compounds responsible for the aromatic properties of the plant also make it unsuitable for internal use. For example, although the compound menthofuran is used in the fragrance industry, it is highly toxic to the liver.

2.22 per scoop