A Western Australian native - Agonis flexuosa - peppermint tree
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (351324)
Rockingham, Australia
February 6, 2021 6:15am CST
I wrote about planting some peppermint trees and, much to my surprise, it seems these are not commonly known among the myLot community.
So when I went researching I discovered that peppermint trees are native in mild coastal areas of Western Australia, in particular in areas that receive 32-40 in. of rain each year. They are quite sensitive to frost. Some coastal camping grounds here have a great many peppermint trees and tents and caravans park in and around them.
Peppermint trees (Agonis flexuosa) are medium sized with dense, evergreen foliage and a weeping habit. The leaves are long and narrow and smell of peppermint when crushed. The bark is coarse and a red-brown colour. The white flowers are quite insignificant.
We have a hedge of miniature peppermints along the back patio behind the birdbath. I don’t have a photo of any of ours but thanks to Gordon Edwards (Gordon), CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons, I can share this photo with you.
21 people like this
22 responses
@DaddyEvil (146256)
• United States
6 Feb 21
Very interesting and pretty. Unfortunately, they won't survive here. We get hard frosts, snow and ice storms. (This week the Weather Channel says my area will have temperatures around -21C.) I guess we will just have to enjoy our different species of peppermint ground cover. (We have chocolate mint, peppermint and orange mint.)
This photo is of the chocolate mint vine.
5 people like this
@DaddyEvil (146256)
• United States
7 Feb 21
@Fleura The mint plants we have are Pretty's. I don't much care for mint, so haven't tried eating any of them.
I do love the way they smell, though.
2 people like this
@Fleura (31491)
• United Kingdom
6 Feb 21
Australia is full of unique plants and animals, I should think you'd have to explain things to all us non-Aussies most of the time! Thanks for the info.
Now here's another question for you - are the chemicals responsible for the peppermint smell the same as the ones in actual peppermint (mainly menthol and menthone)?
2 people like this
@Fleura (31491)
• United Kingdom
6 Feb 21
@JudyEv Look what I found! Apparently the main constituents are limonene, myrcene and thujene - so no, it is quite different.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331629958_CHEMICAL_COMPOSITION_AND_ANTIMICROBIAL_PROPERTIES_OF_ESSENTIAL_OIL_OF_AGONIS_FLEXUOSA
1 person likes this
@arunima25 (89892)
• Bangalore, India
6 Feb 21
Those are pretty trees..quite bushy and green. Do you get the smell in the surrounding or only when you crush the leaves? Are peppermint made from these leaves?
3 people like this
@arunima25 (89892)
• Bangalore, India
6 Feb 21
@JudyEv Oh! I see. Thanks for sharing.
1 person likes this
@DocAndersen (54400)
• United States
6 Feb 21
well I learned something new today!
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@JudyEv (351324)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Feb 21
@DocAndersen If you find one, let me know. lol
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@DocAndersen (54400)
• United States
6 Feb 21
@JudyEv i still seek a money tree if that helps
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@JudyEv (351324)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Feb 21
Haha - that would be a simple mistake to make really. 
@allknowing (144302)
• India
7 Feb 21
I know you were getting pits ready. Have already planted them?
1 person likes this
@allknowing (144302)
• India
7 Feb 21
@JudyEv Protection is of utmost importance as I know you have friends there with pouches (lol)
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@JudyEv (351324)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Feb 21
@allknowing Yes, that's true and even more deadly would be the rabbits.
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@RebeccasFarm (93957)
• United States
6 Feb 21
Do they smell of peppermint Judy?
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@RebeccasFarm (93957)
• United States
6 Feb 21
@JudyEv Oh look at that..I am trying to root some mint plants lol
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@JudyEv (351324)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Feb 21
@RebeccasFarm The mint herb takes over an area very quickly. Everyone says to plant it in a container or it will be all over the garden in no time.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123833)
• Gainesville, Florida
6 Feb 21
The peppermint trees probably wouldn't survive in Florida, we average 55-60 inches of rain per year. And the northern part of the state gets frosts every now and then.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123833)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Feb 21
@JudyEv What will you do until they get established? Will you cover them with blankets or something to protect them from frost?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (351324)
• Rockingham, Australia
12 Feb 21
@moffittjc They'll have to take their chance. There won't be any frost for another four months so hopefully they'll be okay by then.
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@JudyEv (351324)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Feb 21
@just4him I don't think it is. I've never heard that it's used for anything although the aborigines used it for medicinal purposes. It has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. Fleur gave a link to a study that was done on it.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (351324)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Feb 21
@FayeHazel I don't think so but then I haven't really bothered to smell them either.
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@FayeHazel (40239)
• United States
15 Feb 21
@JudyEv Do the flowers smell like anything?
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@wolfgirl569 (114900)
• Marion, Ohio
6 Feb 21
I had guessed they didnt like my climate. I dont either
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@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
7 Feb 21
If the trees smell of peppermint, they must be effective in keeping mosquitoes and other insects away.
1 person likes this
