Pennyroyal
Hedeoma pulegioides, Labiatae

Pennyroyal, or squaw mint, is an indigenous annual mint from 6-12 in. high. The leaves are ½ in. long, the flowers are small and light blue-lavender, appearing from June to September. They thrive particularly well in our limestone fields.. The mint-like fragrance is felt in the air for some distance. The taste is aromatic, pungent. It is said to be very obnoxious to fleas so I often rub the cats and dog's fur with it during the hot summer months, to help prevent infestations. Sometimes I even weave pretty little herb collars for them.

Medicinal Part: Flowers

Solvents: Alcohol, boiling water

Uses:
-Long used by women to promote menstruation. Hot foot baths taken several days before due date and two cups of Pennyroyal tea, especially before going to bed, for scanty or suppressed flow.
- For nervousness, cramps, intestinal pains of colic and gripe, colds, and as a sweating and cooling drink in fevers.

Dose: Infuse 1 teaspoonful herb to 1 cup of boiling water; The infusion may be freely taken several times a day
Tincture of the oil of Pennyroyal is often employed in whooping cough and spasms, to be taken in doses of 2-10 drops.
Externally: Equal parts of the oil and Linseed oil make a valuable application for burns. Pennyroyal is also used as a hot fomentation in rheumatic affections, applied externally.