Plant Profile: Mountain Mint

Submitted by Terri, NEW Master Gardener 

Mountain Mint is a lovely herbaceous perennial plant that is in the genus Pycnanthemum and a member of the Lamiaceae family. There are 20 species of Pycnanthemum native to the US and Canada. The pictures here show Pycnanthemum virginianum, which is a native to our area of the country. It has long narrow leaves that are positioned opposite one another, up to 2.5 inches long and 1/4 to 1/2 inch across and are lanceolate in shape. The small white flowers often have purple dots and are present in flattened heads at the ends of 2 to 3 foot tall stems.  Not all of the flowers bloom at once, but begin at the outer edge of the head and end near the

center. The white tubular flowers are tiny, only about 1/8 inch long. Blooms appear mid to late summer and linger through September. The leaves release a strong minty scent when handled or damaged. 

Unlike many other members of the mint family, Mountain Mint is not as rapidly invasive. Instead it grows outward with slower growing rhizomes and does have some limited seed spread by wind. It is loved by pollinators, including honey bees, bumble bees, beetles, and Pearl Crescent butterflies. It is not favored by deer or other herbivorous mammals because of its strong minty aroma and taste.

The common name, Mountain Mint, is somewhat of a misnomer as the plant is typically found in moist soils of wet meadows or grassy prairie settings across the upper Midwest and upper New England. It prefers partial to fully sunny conditions. It can be companion planted with vegetables, such as beets, beans, cabbage, tomatoes and peppers, as it can repel ants, aphids, cabbage moths, and slugs.

References accessed: Extension.umn.edu; Prairie Nursery; Cornell Cooperative Extension.