Peppermint vs Spearmint: What's the Difference? (From Our Tallahassee Herb Garden)

Peppermint and spearmint look almost identical, and a lot of people use the names as if they're the same plant. But they're genuinely different. I'm at InVine Botanicals in Tallahassee, Florida, where we grow both, and here's how to actually tell them apart.

Let's start with what they share. Both are members of the mint family, both have that classic square stem, and both grow into the same kind of lush, fast-spreading green patch. But here's a fun fact most people don't know: peppermint isn't really its own original plant.

It's a natural hybrid, a cross between watermint and spearmint. So in a way, spearmint is one of peppermint's parents. The single biggest difference between them comes down to one compound: menthol.

And it's what your nose notices instantly. Peppermint is loaded with menthol. That's what gives it that sharp, intense, almost cooling sensation, the bold flavor you know from candy canes and strong mint tea.

Spearmint, on the other hand, has very little menthol. Its main compound is called carvone, which makes it sweeter, milder, and more delicate. So spearmint is the gentle one, the mint in mojitos, in fresh chewing gum, and in a lot of cooking, where you want mint flavor without the intensity.

An easy way to remember it: peppermint is bold and punchy, spearmint is soft and sweet. If a mint makes your eyes water, it's peppermint. You can often tell them apart by looking, too.

Peppermint tends to have darker, slightly reddish stems and smoother leaves. Spearmint is usually a brighter green with more crinkled, pointed leaves. But honestly, the surest test is just to crush a leaf and smell it.

Sharp and cooling means peppermint. Sweet and soft means spearmint. In the garden, both are famously vigorous.

They spread by underground runners and will happily take over a bed, so we grow ours in containers to keep them in check. We grow both because each brings something different to what we make. Peppermint, with its bright, aromatic character, goes into our Breathe Free Balm.

It's blended there with rosemary and lemon balm, and it's one of the most aromatic balms we make. The mints also lend their aroma to our Muscle Revive Balm, alongside warming garden herbs like ginger and rosemary. And spearmint, specifically, the sweeter, gentler mint, is the star of our Spearmint Hand Cream, where its softer scent really shines.

In every one, the mint is a whole herb we grew, harvested, and dried ourselves, right here in the garden. So that's the difference: peppermint is the bold, menthol-rich one, and spearmint is the sweet, gentle one. You can find the garden-grown balms and creams we make with both at invinebotanicals dot com.

Thanks for spending a little time in the garden with us.