Botanical name: Mentha spicata

Family: Lamiaceae

Harvested: Europe, Asia

Parts used: flowering stems

Extraction method: steam distillation

Major components of oil: alpha and beta-pinene, carvone, 1,8-cineole, linalool, limonene, myrcene, caryophyllene, menthol

Much less mentholated than the Peppermint essential oil, Spearmint has nearly similar qualities.

It is a powerful antimicrobial, antifungal, insecticidal oil, and an insect repellent.

With an antioxidant activity similar to that of synthetic preservatives, this oil is increasingly used for conservation of dietary fat.

This oil has also demonstrated its effectiveness to make rodents and other pests flee.