Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
Growing Information
• Plant Type: Perennial
• Sunlight: Sun, part shade
• Soils: Average, dry
• Bloom Time: White flowers in July, August, September
• Size: 8-20 inches in height; 12-36 inch spread
In addition to being a good garden plant with the narrow leaves and small white flower clusters Slender Mountain Mint stands out because of its above average attraction for pollinators. Plant in a perennial border, pollinator garden, rain garden, or near the vegetable garden to entice pollinators. The aromatic plant with shallow rhizomes is more aggressive than other Pycnanthemums so needs root pruning to keep from spreading. This is also called Narrow Leaved Mountain Mint and is native to Cape Cod.
Garden Companions
Sweet Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), Dense Blazing Star (Liatris spicata), Little Bluestem grass (Schizachyrium scoparium), Big Bluestem grass (Andropogon gerardii)
Nature Benefits
• Flowers attract a wide variety of pollinators.
• Larval host plant for Gray Hairstreak Butterfly.
Natural Habitat
Occurs in meadows and fields, dry rocky, open woods, pine barrens.