Linda Blaker, age 12, of Charlotte, N.C., for her question:

WHERE DOES PEPPERMINT FLAVORING COME FROM?

Peppermint is the most popular of all flavorings used in candy making. There is about 60 times as much peppermint used as wintergreen, and four times as much peppermint as spearmint.

Peppermint is a perennial herb and is part of the mint family. It grows widely in Oregon and Washington and can also be found in Idaho, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin. It grows best in muck lands of reclaimed swamps. The plants grow about three feet tall.

Medicines using peppermint are used to relieve pain caused by toothaches and colic. In addition, menthol which is used widely as a remedy for colds and croup is made from peppermint oil. The oil is also used in the manufacture of some soap and perfume.