Peppermint is native to Southern Europe and was brought to the US in the nineteenth century. The name "peppermint" was given to the plant because it resembled spearmint but had a pepper-type taste. In Ancient Greek mythology, the god Pluto was said to favor a beautiful nymph named Minthe, but his jelous wife Persephone cast a spell on the nymph and transformed her into a plant. When Pluto could not break the spell, he gave her a sweet scent. Pliny - author, naturalist, philosopher, and military commander in Ancient Rome - reported Romans and Greeks used to crown themselves with peppermint at parties. In the Middle Ages, peppermint was used to help digestion. In folk medicine, peppermint leaves were used to treat bronchitis, fevers, hypertension, nausea,diarroesh, pain, and sleep disorders.