We were given this today and all we know is it came from Greenway. It
is sprawling in habit and has quite a strong mint/eucalyptus scent but
leaves a pungent after-scent on the fingers when brushed by your hand.
I wonder if it's a strewing herb and doubt it would be a culinary one.
At first I wondered about wormwood but it's the wrong flower colour,
though that pungency is a bit reminiscent of Artemisia. If anyone
knows what it is, we'd be very grateful.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/93694401@N03/9708230021/
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

On 09/09/2013 16:42, Sacha wrote:
We were given this today and all we know is it came from Greenway. It
is sprawling in habit and has quite a strong mint/eucalyptus scent but
leaves a pungent after-scent on the fingers when brushed by your hand. I
wonder if it's a strewing herb and doubt it would be a culinary one. At
first I wondered about wormwood but it's the wrong flower colour, though
that pungency is a bit reminiscent of Artemisia. If anyone knows what
it is, we'd be very grateful.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/93694401@N03/9708230021/

Could it be a form of Penny royal?

On 2013-09-09 18:01:30 +0100, David Hill said:

On 09/09/2013 16:42, Sacha wrote:
We were given this today and all we know is it came from Greenway. It
is sprawling in habit and has quite a strong mint/eucalyptus scent but
leaves a pungent after-scent on the fingers when brushed by your hand. I
wonder if it's a strewing herb and doubt it would be a culinary one. At
first I wondered about wormwood but it's the wrong flower colour, though
that pungency is a bit reminiscent of Artemisia. If anyone knows what
it is, we'd be very grateful.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/93694401@N03/9708230021/

Could it be a form of Penny royal?

The mint association would account for part of the scent but the leaves
aren't right from what I've looked up (though that's not definitive!)
The flower form isn't dissimilar, though it's not a perfect fit. The
'after scent' was probably a bit like Artemisia. As Mrs Christie was
given lots of different plants, or brought them back from abroad, it
*could* be from the Middle East where her husband often worked on
'digs', I believe. But that's just wild surmise on my part. She could
equally have bought it in Tesco for all I know!
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

On 2013-09-09 18:01:30 +0100, David Hill said:

On 09/09/2013 16:42, Sacha wrote:
We were given this today and all we know is it came from Greenway. It
is sprawling in habit and has quite a strong mint/eucalyptus scent but
leaves a pungent after-scent on the fingers when brushed by your hand. I
wonder if it's a strewing herb and doubt it would be a culinary one. At
first I wondered about wormwood but it's the wrong flower colour, though
that pungency is a bit reminiscent of Artemisia. If anyone knows what
it is, we'd be very grateful.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/93694401@N03/9708230021/

Could it be a form of Penny royal?

Give that man a cigar! It is indeed a form of pennyroyal. I sent the
photo to Jekka McVicar and she's identified it as Mentha cervina, a
water plant or marginal. It's also an abortifacient so its tea
shouldn't be drunk by pregnant women. It's a great pleasure to have it
identified because most of us liked it very much, especially the rather
strong minty/eucalyptus scent and the very pretty blue flowers. Thank
you, David and all thanks to Jekka, too.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

On 12/09/2013 10:12, Sacha wrote:
On 2013-09-09 18:01:30 +0100, David Hill said:

On 09/09/2013 16:42, Sacha wrote:
We were given this today and all we know is it came from Greenway. It
is sprawling in habit and has quite a strong mint/eucalyptus scent but
leaves a pungent after-scent on the fingers when brushed by your hand. I
wonder if it's a strewing herb and doubt it would be a culinary one. At
first I wondered about wormwood but it's the wrong flower colour, though
that pungency is a bit reminiscent of Artemisia. If anyone knows what
it is, we'd be very grateful.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/93694401@N03/9708230021/

Could it be a form of Penny royal?

Give that man a cigar! It is indeed a form of pennyroyal. I sent the
photo to Jekka McVicar and she's identified it as Mentha cervina, a
water plant or marginal. It's also an abortifacient so its tea shouldn't
be drunk by pregnant women. It's a great pleasure to have it identified
because most of us liked it very much, especially the rather strong
minty/eucalyptus scent and the very pretty blue flowers. Thank you,
David and all thanks to Jekka, too.

It's strange the number of different forms of pennyroyal that you can
get from almost 18 inches tall to flat spreading.
David @ an overcast side of Swansea Bay.

On 2013-09-12 10:32:19 +0100, David Hill said:

On 12/09/2013 10:12, Sacha wrote:
On 2013-09-09 18:01:30 +0100, David Hill said:

On 09/09/2013 16:42, Sacha wrote:
We were given this today and all we know is it came from Greenway. It
is sprawling in habit and has quite a strong mint/eucalyptus scent but
leaves a pungent after-scent on the fingers when brushed by your hand. I
wonder if it's a strewing herb and doubt it would be a culinary one. At
first I wondered about wormwood but it's the wrong flower colour, though
that pungency is a bit reminiscent of Artemisia. If anyone knows what
it is, we'd be very grateful.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/93694401@N03/9708230021/

Could it be a form of Penny royal?

Give that man a cigar! It is indeed a form of pennyroyal. I sent the
photo to Jekka McVicar and she's identified it as Mentha cervina, a
water plant or marginal. It's also an abortifacient so its tea shouldn't
be drunk by pregnant women. It's a great pleasure to have it identified
because most of us liked it very much, especially the rather strong
minty/eucalyptus scent and the very pretty blue flowers. Thank you,
David and all thanks to Jekka, too.

It's strange the number of different forms of pennyroyal that you can
get from almost 18 inches tall to flat spreading.
David @ an overcast side of Swansea Bay.

Well, we'd certainly never seen that one before and inevitably, when
you're hunting for something to id, none of the photos seem to be
*quite* right! Even the team member who's keenest and most
knowledgeable about herbs didn't know that one and we all kept veering
between a mint or a hyssop. Thanks again, David.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk