Pycnanthemum virginianum, Mountain Mint, quart pot

Pycnanthemum virginanium, Mountain Mint

FS-PS, Zone 3, blooms June - September, 3’ x 18”, wet to medium dry, sand to some clay.

Pycnanthemum means ‘densely flowered,’ which is why this plant can feed many different insects at the same time. However, only a few flowers are in bloom at the same time, beginning with the outer circle of flowers and ending towards the center. You will see the Great Black and Golden Digger wasps as well as tiny resin bees. Most white flowers do not draw as many pollinators. However, if you look closely at the tiny flowers you may see purple spots on the petals surrounding the disc that serve as guides! A favorite of bumble bees who work their way across the flower disc sipping from each tiny bloom. Its seeds are distributed to some extent by the wind. The root system produces rhizomes, which spread a short distance from the mother plant. Soon, a small colony of plants are formed. Our 2020 Mountain Mints (2-3 yr old’s) produced outstanding colonies. We enjoyed their floral display and banquet for the small ones! A very good cut flower. Good winter interest!

Many insects are strongly attracted to the flowers, including various bees, wasps, flies, small butterflies, and beetles. Typical visitors from these groups include honeybees, Cuckoo bees, Halictid bees, Sphecid wasps, Eumenine wasps, bee flies, Tachinid flies, Wedge-shaped beetles, and Pearl Crescent butterflies.