Botany & Plant Pathology

Indiana’s in mint condition

June 23, 2022

The United States produces 70% of the world’s peppermint and spearmint supply, but you may be surprised to learn that Indiana is the 4^th leading producer of mint in the U.S.

The “muck” soils of northwest Indiana, which are high in organic matter and loosely textured for good root growth, make it ideal for growing peppermint, native spearmint and Scotch spearmint.

Most of Indiana’s crop is distilled to make mint oil to flavor products like gum, candy and dental products. The oil is intensely flavored and goes a long way — one pound of mint oil flavors approximately 40,000 sticks of gum!

Featured Stories

Andrew DeWoody stands in front of test equipment in his lab in West Lafayette, Ind.

Department of Forestry and Natural Resources appoints its first Conservation Scholar

Andrew DeWoody, professor in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR), has been...

A close-up of a four-leaf clover in a lawn.

The luck of the Irish in your lawn

St. Patrick’s Day gets us thinking about all things green — from shamrock decorations...

Grain dust explosion incidents decrease, fatalities increase

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Seven U.S. grain dust explosions in 2025 caused 10 injuries and four...

Emma Johnson receives her Fenske Award at the Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference; Johnson stands next to the Sky Arrow plane her team uses for research.

Emma Johnson Named Fenske Award for Wildlife Recipient

Master’s student Emma Johnson (BS 2025) received the Janice Lee Fenske Memorial Award for...

Mary Kay Thatcher to speak at 51st James C. Snyder Memorial Lecture.

Farm policy expert Mary Kay Thatcher to discuss evolving ag policy landscape at James C. Snyder Memorial Lecture

The Purdue University Department of Agricultural Economics will host Mary Kay Thatcher,...

Caroline Rose Alukkal - Postdoctoral Scholar Feature

At an age when most kids are still learning long division, Caroline Rose Alukkal was already...