I have four of these plants in my yard and they are always covered with a wide variety of bees and wasp. They are not aggressive like oth...Read Moreer mints and seem to have a clump forming habit.
I planted this in my garden where it is growing in heavy red clay soil in a leaf mulched bed that receives about 5 hours of direct sunlig...Read Moreht and another 7-9 hours of dappled shade. So far, I have never needed to water it.
The most striking aspect of this plant for me is how popular it is with pollinators. In this regard, of the 50-odd wildflower species in my garden, this one is hands down the champion. From the moment its flowers come into bloom in July and for approximately two months thereafter, it is positively covered by a wide variety of bees and wasps that continuously arrive and depart in such numbers that they cause the whole mass of stems to sway and shake. Standing near it at this time is like being next to a pollinator airport. It's really spectacular to see.
Pycnanthemum muticum is a vigorous spreader in my garden. Ober the course of two growing seasons, the single small specimen I planted spread to cover the entire 5'x5' space I allotted it with dense growth. It would easily have covered far more if I had allowed it to do so. Plant this together with another vigorous spreader (Monarda didyma or Physostegia virginiana, for example) or be prepared to cut it back from time to time.
This plant is extremely fragrant. Its flowers are small and rather unremarkable but I find the massed effect of the silvery bracts that frame them quite stunning.
It's the showy silvery bracts around the flower heads that give this perennial its distinctive color. They remain showy for months on end...Read More. The leaves are green.
Very attractive to a wide range of pollinators and beneficial insects. The lovely minty fragrance is only noticeable if the foliage is stroked or rubbed.
Spreads by underground rhizomes.
Highly adaptable, full sun to medium shade. Though the deceptive common name suggests a plant from the mountains, this is a plant of low-elevation meadows and woodland edges. Its native range runs from NH to TX.
June 2016: The rhizomes have spread about 18" in one season. If planting, I'd space these at least 3' apart, to allow full coverage in the second season. I would only plant this in a naturalizing situation---I think the spread is too aggressive for a perennial or mixed border.
It is a lovely meadow or prairie plant of eastern North America that grows well in gardens. It is a fantastic pollinator plant for bees, ...Read Morebutterflies, etc. Sold by a good number of native plant nurseries as North Creek Nursery in southeast PA. Easy to grow and low maintenance.
I first saw these plants in North Carolina at the Cherokee Museum’s native plant-pollinators' garden. It was filled with lovely specime...Read Morens. This plant was the pollinators’ favorite. It was a bouquet of butterflies, honey bees, native bees, and others. As soon as we got home, I started looking for this plant. I lucked out and found a few locally. These are hard to find! Over two years I collected enough to make a decent sized patch. I tried it in a dry part of my yard. It survived but was not happy. I moved it to a place where we regularly dump our chickens' water. It has flourished there and in other places with moderate moisture. It is a slow spreader, not at all invasive like spearmint or peppermint. I wish it would spread faster! I’m a beekeeper/ butterfly gardener and we have a large collection of nectar plants. This and the clover are the only things that keep my honeybees in my garden. We've parked lawn chairs next to the patch to observe the great variety of pollinators who visit. It has a pleasant, fresh smell; minty but with a touch of perfume. Its foliage is delicate and when in bloom, the plant is topped with silver. I planted a mauve colored hardy hibiscus in the center of our patch. The silver blooms showcase the hibiscus like nothing else. If you love pollinators or appreciate the benefit of beautiful foliage in the garden, snatch up as much of this as you can!
I have four of these plants in my yard and they are always covered with a wide variety of bees and wasp. They are not aggressive like oth...Read More
I planted this in my garden where it is growing in heavy red clay soil in a leaf mulched bed that receives about 5 hours of direct sunlig...Read More
It's the showy silvery bracts around the flower heads that give this perennial its distinctive color. They remain showy for months on end...Read More
It is a lovely meadow or prairie plant of eastern North America that grows well in gardens. It is a fantastic pollinator plant for bees, ...Read More
I first saw these plants in North Carolina at the Cherokee Museum’s native plant-pollinators' garden. It was filled with lovely specime...Read More