wild mint
Mentha penardii (Briq.) Rydb.
Traditional Food Use
Leaves and stems made into a tea and used as a beverage
Fresh leaves frequently chewed.
Medicinal Documentation
A decoction of mentzelia, prairie čhaŋȟlóǧaŋ the roots is used to treat rheumatism and arthritis.
Infusion of ground leaves and stems taken for vomiting
Decoction of plant used as a hair oil. Additional commentary: Mint is used in a variety of ways, mostly medicinal. As a tea it is taken for nausea, to prevent vomiting. It is also taken to strengthen heart muscles and stimulate vital organs. Mint was believed to improve one’s love life; it is unclear whether this refers to sexual performance or other aspects of one’s “love life.” Ceremonially, mint appears in peyote prayers and Sun Dances; mixed with sage in the former, and as a cooling bed upon which the dancers stand in the latter.462 It is also used as an anti-emetic and a dermatological aid.463
Infusion of ground leaves and stems taken to strengthen heart muscles
Infusion of ground leaves and stems taken to stimulate vital organs
Fresh leaves and chewed or a tea made of leaves taken for stomach troubles.
Ceremonial & Cultural Notes
Plant used in the Sun Dance ceremony
Leaves chewed and placed on body for improved love life
Artifacts/Material use: Leaves and stems used as perfume and deodorizers in houses
Botanical Reference
Parts Documented: root, flower, seed, leaves, plant, stems
Distribution: Moist, wet soils along stream banks, lake margins, prairie ravines, and low woods; plains to montane; Northwest Territory to New Mexico