Peppermint tree - Inland Valley Garden Planner

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Description

The Peppermint tree grows at a moderate rate into a medium sized tree with dense, evergreen foliage and a distinctive weeping habit. With age it can reach 25-35 ft. tall with an equal spread, and develop a stout trunk and bold branching character. Long narrow green leaves are peppermint spicy-fragrant when crushed and hang gracefully from drooping branches. Small white flowers develop in spring, but are not very showy. Trunks and branches are covered with distinctive coarse red-brown bark.

This tree is native to mild coastal climates and habitats of western Australia in areas that receive 32-40 in. of annual precipitation. Soils range from calcareous deposits to beach sands and sandy loam. These adaptations and sensitivity to cold cause the Peppermint tree to be recommended only for frost-free parts of the Inland Empire. In these locations it is valued as a residential shade tree in courtyards and for front and back yards where it provides a pleasing hanging foliage habit that resembles weeping willows.

Water Needs

The Peppermint tree is well adapted to mild frost-free microclimates within the Inland Empire. In youth, it will grow faster and achieve larger sizes with regular water throughout the year; mature trees can be maintained with low amounts of supplemental summer water. The chart shown below provides a baseline guide to the monthly irrigation schedule and volume of supplemental water needed to maintain healthy growth throughout the average year. It should be noted there are several months indicated by an asterisk (*) when winter rains can provide sufficient moisture and irrigation is not needed. It grows best with moderate amounts of water throughout the year, but mature trees can endure summer drought stress.

Irrigation Schedule and Graph

Moderate Water Use Plants

Irrigation Schedule 3

	Jan*	Feb*	Mar*	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov*	Dec*
Runs per Month	0x to 3x	0x to 3x	0x to 3x	2x to 3x	1x to 2x	1x to 2x	1x to 2x	1x to 2x	1x to 2x	2x to 3x	0x to 3x	0x to 3x
Inches per Run	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"

Inches per Month	0" to 3"	0" to 3"	0" to 3"	2" to 3"	1" to 2"	1" to 2"	1" to 2"	1" to 2"	1" to 2"	2" to 3"	0" to 3"	0" to 3"

Range of supplemental summer water: 9"-16"
Range of supplemental winter water: 0"-15"

0"-3"

2"-3"

1"-2"

2"-3"

0"-3"

Jan*

Feb*

Mar*

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov*

Dec*

For more information on how to use this Irrigation Schedule and Graph, follow this link.

For information how to calculate your irrigation system’s schedule and precipitation rate, please follow this link.

Plant Properties

Plant Type: Tree
Foliage Character: Evergreen
Habit: Upright, Low-branching, Dense, Weeping
Growth Rate: Slow, Moderate
Height: 25 ft. - 35 ft.
Width: 25 ft. - 35 ft.
Water Needs: Moderate 3
Foliage Color: Medium green
Flower Color: White
Flower Season: Spring
Soil Adaptations: Silt, Sand, Clay, Calcareous soil
Exposure Adaptations: All day sun
Function: Shade Tree, Residential spaces, Parks and open space, Foliage accent plant, Fragrant foliage, Courtyard and patio tree

Maintenance

May need proper staking when young, only until it can support itself. Remove stakes as early as appropriate so the plant will continue to develop its own strength. These plants are beautiful, and do not require much maintenance, but can suddenly and randomly seemingly die in the garden, so are not the best choice if you are selecting a single shade tree in an important position in the landscape. Plant fall to early spring. Prune late fall into winter (D,S).

References