Herb
American Pennyroyal
B tier
American pennyroyal is the kitchen-and-field name for Hedeoma pulegioides—small, odorous annual of dry fields with a pennyroyal-like blast when crushed. Food use today is minimal compared with its folk-history footprint. Do not brew strong American pennyroyal teas casually. For mint flavour in cooking, use Mentha species. This entry exists for accurate variety mapping of the primary herb list.
Track this ingredient
Unit
Characteristics
Preparations
Historical NoteNot Recommended Everyday
Traits
AmericanCautionCommon US NameField AnnualHerbalLimited CulinaryStrongStrong Odour
History
US
American pennyroyal was a common rural folk herb name.
US
Commercial pennyroyal oil partly drew on American plants.
Safety warnings reduced household experiments with the herb.
Field guides still teach American pennyroyal recognition.