SPEARMINT OIL                                             [home]   [topic page]

Mentha spicata

Leaf colour can vary to dusky red or purplish in colour.

The spearmint oil is rather different to peppermint, it is used for culinary purposes and is also used in the aroma and flavour industries. A significant difference is the presence of L-carvone instead of menthol or menthone.

limonene    1-methyl-4-(1-methylethenyl)cyclohexene        C₁₀H₁₆

L-carvone          1-methyl-4-isopropenyl-6-cyclohexene-2-ol                                    C₁₀H₁₄O

beta-phellandrene         1(7)-2-p-menthadiene     C₁₀H₁₆