Mint, Peppermint Variegated

Variegated Peppermint (Mentha × piperita 'Variegata')
Also known as: Cream Mint, Peppermint Variegata

Variegated Peppermint is a striking and fragrant perennial herb with cream-edged green leaves and the classic menthol-rich aroma of peppermint. This cultivar offers all the intense flavor and medicinal qualities of standard peppermint, with the added beauty of ornamental foliage. Its bold scent, culinary versatility, and spreading growth make it a favorite for herbalists, tea gardeners, and pollinator landscapes alike. Best grown in containers or managed beds, it adds flair to garden borders and herbal plantings.

Key Characteristics

• Medicinal Powerhouse – Leaves for Tea and Tincture
  The leaves are rich in menthol and other volatile oils that make peppermint a go-to herb for digestive discomfort, nausea, and headaches. A strong infusion helps ease cramps, gas, and colic, while the invigorating scent supports mental clarity and respiratory ease. Use fresh or dried in teas, salves, or herbal steam baths.

• Striking Variegated Foliage with Classic Flavor
  Creamy margins make the bright green leaves glow, giving this peppermint cultivar added ornamental value. It retains all the intensity of true peppermint flavor, making it a standout for culinary use in sweets, beverages, syrups, and summer drinks.

• Pollinator-Attracting Summer Blooms
  From July through September, peppermint produces small spikes of pale purple flowers loved by bees, butterflies, and hoverflies. It provides valuable nectar during the mid-to-late summer window, supporting pollinator health in productive gardens.

• Great for Containers, Edging, and Sensory Gardens
  Like all mints, Variegated Peppermint spreads by underground runners and is best planted in containers or confined areas. It’s ideal for patio pots, walkways, or herb spirals where both beauty and aroma can be appreciated. It also acts as a companion plant in vegetable beds, helping deter pests.

Product Details

• Native range: Cultivar of hybrid peppermint (Mentha × piperita)

• Plant life cycle: Perennial

• Sun requirements: Full sun to part shade

• Soil requirements: Medium to moist, well-drained

• Mature height: 12–24 inches

• Bloom time: July to September

• Bloom color: Pale purple

• USDA Hardiness zones: 4–10

Variegated Peppermint combines powerful herbal benefits with garden-worthy beauty. Use it in teas, tinctures, and treats—or let it brighten up a container garden with its fragrant, eye-catching leaves.