Bo He
Mentha arvensis
Synonyms: Mentha arvensis subsp. lapponica, Mentha arvensis f. olynthodos, Mentha procumbens, Mentha fochii, Mentha arvensis f. gentilis, Mentha arvensis var. duftschmidii, Mentha arvensis f. kolozsvariensis, Mentha mosana, Mentha plagensis, Mentha arvensis f. pulegiformis, Mentha arvensis f. styriaca, Mentha austriaca f. boraei, Mentha subinodora, Mentha arvensis var. simplex, Mentha arvensis var. varians, Mentha arvensis f. vulgaris, Mentha arvensis f. cuneisecta, Mentha subfontanea, Mentha austriaca var. grata, Mentha lanceolata var. sublanata, Mentha arvensis f. pacheri, Mentha arvensis f. simplex, Mentha arvensis f. procumbens, Mentha longibracteata, Mentha arvensis f. divergens, Mentha approximata, Mentha arvensis var. salicetorum, Mentha arvensis var. silvicola, Mentha arvensis f. parietariifolia-obtusifolia, Mentha parietariifolia, Mentha joffrei, Mentha vanhaesendonckii, Mentha salebrosa, Mentha deflexa, Mentha austriaca, Mentha deflexa var. fruticulosa, Mentha kitaibeliana, Mentha slichoviensis, Mentha arvensis var. lancifolia, Mentha arvensis var. glabrata, Mentha schreberi, Mentha arvensis var. pascuorum, Mentha arvensis var. prostrata, Mentha parietariifolia var. ginsiensis, Mentha arvensis f. hirtipes, Mentha arvensis var. palustris, Mentha moldavica, Mentha arvensis f. regularis, Mentha densifoliata, Mentha anomala, Mentha divergens, Mentha campestris, Mentha arvensis var. campeomischos, Mentha × sativa var. subrotundifolia, Mentha sparsiflora var. pascuorum, Mentha diffusa, Mentha arvensis var. lanceolata, Mentha arvensis var. glaberrima, Mentha arvensis var. foliicoma, Mentha arvensis var. major, Mentha dubia, Mentha segetalis, Mentha simplex, Mentha arvensis var. minor, Mentha pilosa, Mentha arvensis f. campicola, Mentha flagellifera, Mentha procumbens var. austriaca, Mentha arvensis f. obtusifolia-produmbens, Mentha arvensis var. beckeriana, Mentha arvensis var. parietariifolia, Mentha arvensis var. nummularia, Mentha parvula, Mentha arvensis var. slichoviensis, Mentha arvensis var. longibracteata, Mentha arvensis var. acuta, Mentha × verticillata var. moenchiana, Mentha moenchii, Mentha procumbens var. ruralis, Mentha plicata, Mentha arvensis var. glabriuscula, Mentha fontana, Mentha baguetiana, Mentha arvensis var. palitzensis, Mentha arvensis var. rotundifolia, Mentha arvensis var. crispa, Mentha angustifolia, Mentha arvensis var. hirsuta, Mentha arvensis f. pseudoagrestis, Mentha arvensis var. domita, Mentha arvensis subsp. agrestis, Mentha arvensis subsp. fontana, Mentha arvensis f. angustifolia, Mentha arvensis f. neesiana, Mentha austriaca var. caespitosa, Mentha arvensis var. fontana, Mentha nummularia, Mentha hostii var. arvina, Mentha arvensis var. approximata, Mentha arvensis subsp. praecox, Mentha arvensis var. praecox, Mentha × verticillata var. arguta, Mentha arvensis f. ambleodonta, Mentha neesiana, Mentha arvensis var. diaphana, Mentha verisimilis, Mentha flexuosa, Mentha gentiliformis, Mentha procumbens var. rigida, Mentha argutissima, Mentha laxa, Mentha arvensis var. stenodonta, Mentha arvensis f. pumila, Mentha arvensis var. praeclara, Mentha rothii, Mentha arvensis var. pumila, Mentha × verticillata f. rothii, Mentha hillebrandtii, Mentha tenuifolia, Mentha exigua, Mentha intermedia, Mentha paludosa, Mentha albae-carolinae, Mentha arvensis var. glabrior, Mentha pascuorum, Mentha arvensis var. pegaia, Mentha arvensis var. nobilis, Mentha subcollina, Mentha lapponica subsp. parietariifolia, Mentha melissifolia, Mentha varians, Mentha × acutifolia var. nummularia, Mentha arvensis var. turfosa, Mentha prostrata, Mentha palustris var. scrophulariifolia, Mentha procumbens var. segetalis, Mentha arvensis var. illecebrosa, Mentha arvensis f. subarguta, Mentha arvensis f. confertidens, Mentha arvensis var. agrestis, Mentha arvensis f. gallica, Mentha arvensis f. minor, Mentha nemorosa, Mentha hostii, Mentha × sativa subsp. humifusa, Mentha arvensis var. badensis, Mentha arenaria, Mentha foliicoma, Mentha mutabilis, Mentha praecox, Mentha arvensis f. lucorum, Mentha arvensis var. parvifolia, Mentha arvensis var. legitima, Mentha arvensis var. villosissima, Mentha pastoris, Mentha arvensis var. brevidens, Mentha barbata, Mentha pilosella, Mentha arvensis var. obtusifolia, Mentha arvensis f. pacheriana, Mentha arvensis var. campestris, Mentha bracteolata, Mentha fossicola, Mentha arvensis f. parietariifolia-praecox, Mentha pulchella, Mentha rotundata, Mentha agrestis var. subrotunda, Mentha arvensis f. nummularia, Mentha arvensis f. deflexa, Mentha arvensihirsuta, Mentha obtusodentata, Mentha lata var. agraria, Mentha campicola, Mentha arvensis var. araiodonta, Mentha arvensis var. cryptodonta, Mentha arvensis var. parviflora, Mentha arvensis f. albiflora, Mentha subcordata, Mentha badensis, Mentha slichoviensis var. fossicola, Mentha villosa, Mentha arvensis var. uliginosa, Mentha arvensis f. badensis-parietariifolia, Mentha austriaca var. salicetorum, Mentha minor, Mentha arvensis f. alverniensis, Mentha palustris var. mosana, Mentha arvensis var. gracilis, Mentha ruderalis, Mentha agrestis, Mentha arvensis var. aquatica, Mentha divaricata, Mentha sativa, Mentha odorata, Mentha latifolia, Mentha arvensis f. plagensis, Mentha nobilis, Mentha arvensis f. ocymoides, Mentha tenuicaulis, Mentha arvensis f. divaricata, Mentha arvensis f. mutabilis, Mentha arvensis var. latifolia, Mentha gintliana, Mentha lata, Mentha atrovirens, Mentha arvensis f. sylvatica, Mentha arvensis f. savensis, Mentha duffourii, Mentha arvensis f. vicearvensis, Mentha arvensis f. lanceolata, Mentha arvensis subsp. sylvatica, Mentha arvensis f. hymenophylla, Mentha arvensis var. argutissima, Mentha arvensis f. serpentina, Mentha thayana, Mentha argutissima var. subpilosa, Mentha arvensis var. axioprepa, Mentha arvensis f. dolichophylla, Mentha arvensis var. lamprophyllos, Mentha × sativa var. gracilis, Mentha deflexa var. simplex, Mentha dissitiflora, Mentha deflexa var. diffusa, Mentha arvensis var. cyrtodonta, Mentha polymorpha, Mentha arvensis var. austriaca, Mentha ehrhartiana, Mentha arvensis f. salebrosa, Mentha uliginosa, Mentha arvensis var. subglabra, Mentha arvensis var. hillebrandtii, Mentha arvensis f. badensis-obtusifolia, Mentha arvensis f. borsodensis, Mentha arvensis f. durolleana, Mentha florida, Mentha arvensis f. obtusidentata, Mentha cuneifolia, Mentha nemorum, Mentha × sativa var. flexuosa, Mentha collina, Mentha lapponica, Mentha arvensis f. tenuifolia, Mentha silvicola, Mentha austriaca var. genuina, Mentha arvensis var. hirsutior, Mentha praticola, Mentha gracilescens, Mentha arvensis var. radicans, Mentha arvensis var. lapponica, Mentha distans, Mentha procumbens var. uliginosa, Mentha lanceolata, Mentha duftschmidii, Mentha arvensis f. ramosissima, Mentha fontqueri, Mentha arvensis f. bracteoligera, Mentha arguta, Mentha argutissima var. recedens, Mentha arvensis f. campylocormos, Mentha arvensis var. subcordata, Mentha arvensis var. hispidula, Mentha arvensis var. melanochroa, Mentha pulegiformis, Mentha arvensis var. sabranskyi, Mentha arvensis var. nemorum, Mentha palustris, Mentha arvensis subsp. gentilis, Mentha arvensis var. glabrescens, Mentha graveolens, Mentha arvensis var. procumbens, Mentha arvensis subsp. parietariifolia, Mentha arvensis f. hirticalyx, Mentha maculata, Mentha arvensis f. gracilis, Mentha rigida, Mentha arvensis var. polymorpha, Mentha arvensis f. garonnensis, Mentha arvensihirsuta f. calcarea, Mentha arvensis var. deflexa, Mentha riparia var. pilosa, Mentha arvensis f. albensis, Mentha arvensis var. nemoralis, Mentha arvensiplicata, Mentha multiflora var. serpentina, Mentha arvensis var. pulegioides, Mentha arvensis var. grossidentata, Mentha arvensis f. subrotunda, Mentha × verticillata var. obtusata, Mentha arvicola, Mentha arvensis var. subrotunda, Mentha arvensis var. dubia, Mentha arvensis var. multiflora, Mentha scrophulariifolia, Mentha austriaca var. pulchella, Mentha gentilis, Mentha procumbens var. ehrhartiana, Mentha arvensis f. sphenophylla, Mentha allionii, Mentha arvensis var. allionii, Mentha procumbens var. salebrosa, Mentha arvensis var. gentilis, Mentha arvensis f. palustris, Mentha × brachystachya var. stenodonta, Mentha sylvatica, Mentha latissima, Mentha arvensis var. angustifolia, Mentha arvensis f. suecica, Mentha arvensis f. obtusifolia-praecox, Mentha fontana var. brevibracteata, Mentha arvensis var. gentiliformis, Mentha lamiifolia, Mentha arvensis var. kitaibeliana, Mentha procumbens var. major, Mentha arvensis subsp. lanceolata, Mentha palitzensis, Mentha agrestris, Mentha parvifolia, Mentha slichoviensis var. campicola, Mentha viridula, Mentha arvensis var. hostii, Mentha arvensis var. paludosa, Mentha arvensis f. licaensis, Mentha arvensis var. exigua, Mentha sparsiflora, Mentha arvensis var. obornyana, Mentha arvensis f. badensis-praecox, Mentha arvensis f. macrodonta, Mentha gallica, Mentha austriaca var. multiflora, Mentha arvensis subsp. austriaca, Mentha × verticillata var. origanifolia, Mentha arvensis f. holubyana, Mentha arvensis f. adrophylloides, Mentha arvensis var. ginsiensis, Mentha arvensis var. villosa, Mentha arvensis var. caespitosa, Mentha praeclara, Mentha jahniana, Mentha arvensis f. domita, Mentha palustris var. reflexifolia, Mentha arvensis f. losarvensis, Mentha lamprophyllos, Mentha arvensis var. marrubiastrum, Mentha arvensis f. pastoritia, Mentha arvensis f. diffusa, Mentha × sativa subsp. parietariifolia, Mentha marrubiastrum, Mentha arvensis var. sylvatica, Mentha arvensis var. decipiens, Mentha arvensis f. setigera, Mentha multiflora, Mentha obtusata, Mentha arvensis f. major, Mentha arvensis var. cuneifolia, Mentha densiflora, Mentha arvensis var. distans, Mentha fontana var. conferta, Mentha pulchella var. approximata, Mentha alberti, Mentha arvensis var. diffusa, Mentha × sativa subsp. procumbens, Mentha piersiana, Mentha ruralis, Mentha arvensis var. riparia
☯ TCM Properties
Disperses Wind-Heat, cools and clears the head and eyes and benefits the throat; Vents rashes; Relieves Stagnation of Liver Qi; Expels turbid filth
Western Herbalism Properties
Gallery
Botanical Description
Mentha arvensis is a perennial aromatic herb with spreading rhizomes, growing 10-60 cm tall. Stems are square, erect to ascending, and often branched. Leaves are opposite, ovate to elliptic, 2-6 cm long, toothed, and covered in fine hairs. The fragrant flowers are pale lilac to white, borne in dense whorls in the leaf axils (not in terminal spikes as in peppermint). The entire plant has a strong minty aroma due to its high menthol content. This species is one of the primary commercial sources of natural menthol.
Moist meadows, stream banks, marshes, and disturbed wet habitats; native to temperate Eurasia and North America, widely naturalized throughout the world.
Mentha arvensis is a widespread and common plant throughout its native range and is widely naturalized. It is extensively cultivated for its essential oil (menthol). No conservation concerns.
Cultural & Historical Context
Traditional Chinese Uses
Bo He (peppermint herb) is a cool, acrid herb that disperses Wind-Heat from the exterior, clears the head and senses, and promotes the smooth flow of Liver Qi. It is used for Wind-Heat patterns with fever, headache, and sore throat, and for Wind-Heat affecting the eyes with redness and irritation. Its Liver Qi-dispersing action relieves emotional depression and hypochondriac distension from stagnation. As an aromatic herb, its cooling, menthol quality also soothes the throat and skin, and it is among the most commonly consumed medicinal teas in Chinese medicine.
Chemistry & External Identifiers
Important Disclaimer
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.