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Mentha gattefossei is a rare perennial mint endemic to the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, grown for its aromatic essential oil and used as a food herb and tea. It is best kept moist and cool, similar to other mints, and is mainly grown for conservation and research rather than as a common garden plant.
Mentha gattefossei is a plant species in the genus Mentha, endemic to the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. It was first described by French botanist René Maire in 1922. Harvested for its essential oil, M. gattefossei has seen use in traditional medicine, pest control and as a food seasoning.
Mentha gattefossei is strictly endemic to the High Atlas, Middle Atlas, Anti Atlas and Saharan regions of Morocco, in an area estimated to be around 500 square kilometers. Its primary habitat is at the edge of dayas (pools which evaporate during the summer) in the Atlas Mountains. It also occupies other wet habitats, such as river banks, irrigation canals and damp meadows and pastures.
Mentha gattefossei is used for its essential oil, as well as an aromatic herb in foods and teas. It has traditionally been consumed in Morocco as a decoction to promote general health. Its essential oil components pulegone and menthone are proposed to give it antioxidant properties. Its harvesting for medicinal and food reasons is cited as a reason for its decline in the wild.
Water mint · Wild mint · Australian Mint · Hioi · Mentha grandiflora · Mentha japonica · Mentha micrantha · Peppermint · Pennyroyal · Mint · Mentha royleana · Spearmint
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Mentha gattefossei by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
Pet safety from the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists.
