Appalachian mountain mint Interesting Notes

Pycnanthemum flexuosum is an aromatic, summer-blooming, herbaceous perennial that produces silvery white, globular flowers on sturdy, upright stems. Blooming over a long period, flowers are prominently displayed above clean green foliage from summer into fall. Appalachian mountain mint is a good soil stabilizer, this species spreads moderately via underground stem. In the fall, the foliage develops an attractive red tinge in autumn. The plant grows about 2-3’ tall and 2-3’ wide when fully mature.

P. flexuosum originates from the southeast along the Appalachian Mountains, from Virginia to Florida to Alabama. Preferring full sun to part sun in moist to average garden soils, it can be found in upland prairies, pastures, meadows, open woodland and roadsides in the wild. Appalachian mountain mint spreads slowly by rhizomes. Its slower tendencies make it a much better behaved mountain mint in the garden than others in the genus.

A member of the mint family, the aromatic oils in the foliage make Pycnanthemum very deer and rabbit resistant. Mountain mint contains pulegone which is a natural insect repellant. It is a larval host plant for the Gray Hairstreak Butterfly and the flowers are covered in wasps, bees, flies, butterflies, and skippers as it blooms throughout the summer. Good to incorporate along the perennial border, rain garden, or near the vegetable garden to entice pollinators and best planted in large clumps where insects can easily move from flower to flower. The strong root systems make a tough soil stabilizer that is great for slopes and streambanks.

Good Substitutions

Pycnanthemum tenuifolium

Pycnanthemum muticum