Spearmint: Magical Properties & Uses

Spearmint is used in workings requiring the energies of mint but at a softer, more Venusian frequency: where peppermint acts with Mercury's directness and force, spearmint works with Venus's gentle drawing power. Its primary magical uses are in healing workings (particularly those addressing emotional or nervous conditions), in prosperity workings that draw abundance gently rather than aggressively, and in protection of the home specifically. Placed at a new home's threshold it welcomes good energy; used in a bath it refreshes and restores without the intensity of peppermint. In love workings it is appropriate where gentleness and kindness are the quality being drawn.

Spearmint (Mentha spicata) contains carvone rather than menthol as its primary volatile compound, giving it a sweeter, milder flavour than peppermint. It has been studied for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), where several trials have found that spearmint tea reduces androgen levels in women with the condition, a clinically meaningful application. It is also used as a gentle digestive herb for nausea and indigestion, particularly in children where peppermint would be too strong. It is used in teas, confectionery, and oral hygiene products worldwide. It is considered very safe.

Venus

The gentler cousin of peppermint: softer, sweeter, more suited to the working that asks for kindness rather than fire. Spearmint has been used in Mediterranean cooking and medicine since antiquity; Culpeper associated it with Venus and recommended it for digestive complaints, headaches, and for calming the stomach. In Greek tradition mint in any form was scattered on the floors of gathering places to create a welcoming and stimulating atmosphere. Spearmint specifically, with its softer quality, was associated with hospitality and with the creation of pleasant spaces. In American folk magic it is used in money workings and in the protection of the home specifically.