Peppermint — Antique Botanical Print

The Story in the Margin

Peppermint (Mentha piperita) is a naturally occurring hybrid of watermint and spearmint, first identified and formally described in England in 1696, though mints of many kinds had already been used for medicinal and culinary purposes since antiquity. Its species name, piperita, is Latin for 'pepper-like,' a nod to its sharp, cooling bite. Once recognized as a distinct plant, peppermint was rapidly adopted across Europe, prized alongside chamomile as one of the two most widely used medicinal herbs of the eighteenth century for settling the stomach and easing headaches. Its instantly recognizable serrated leaves and purple flower spikes have made it a favourite botanical subject for illustrators cataloguing the mint family's many aromatic species.

Materials & origin

• Material: 200 gsm gallery-grade, acid-free fine-art paper (FSC-certified).
• Print: Archival giclée, 12-colour printing, smooth matte finish for glare-free display.
• Artwork: Restored from a public-domain original; colour and detail digitally cleaned for large-format print.
• Origin: Made on demand and shipped from the print hub nearest you, cutting transit and waste.
• Framing: Sold unframed; ships rolled in a protective tube.