“This densely leaved mountain mint features dark green leaves which have a strong mint-like (spearmint) aroma when crushed. Branched stems (mostly square in cross section) are clad with nearly sessile, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, acuminate (pointed), dark green leaves (to 2 1/4″ long) with round to heart-shaped bases and toothed margins. Plant foliage is topped in mid to late summer by a bloom of two-lipped tubular pink flowers (each to 1/2″ wide) in dense flat-topped terminal (sometimes axillary) clusters, with each cluster being subtended and highlighted by a pair of unique and showy silvery fringeless leaf-like bracts located near the base of the cluster. When planted in groups or massed, the silvery bracts give the entire planting the appearance of being dusted by a white powdery snow. Flowers are attractive to butterflies and bees.” (Missouri Botanical Garden)

P. muticum featured in Millenium Park, Chicago

Faunal Associations:

A butterfly from the genus Maniola (meadow brown butterflies) sitting on Pycnanthemum muticum with the classic wings-closed posture. (Gallagher)

Covers

1. “Pycnanthemum muticum heads and bracts” By I, SB Johnny is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
2. “Pycnanthemum muticum, flower. Little Paint Branch Park, Prince George’s co., MD. (7/22/14)” by FritzFlohrReynolds is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
3. “Pycnanthemum muticum (broad-leaved mountain-mint, clustered mountain-mint), Woonsocket, RI” By Doug McGrady, Own Work, 27 July 2017, Woonsocket, RI is licensed under CC BY 2.0 

Missouri Botanical Garden description:  Pycnanthemum Muticum – Plant Finder. https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=293531. Accessed 16 Feb. 2022.

Botany

• Kujawski, Jennifer L.; Davis, Kathy M.. 2001. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Pycnanthemum muticum (Michx) Pers. plants USDA NRCS – Norman A. Berg National Plant Materials Center Beltsville, Maryland. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2022/01/31). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.

Millenium park:   “190907 243 Millennium Park Chicago – Lurie Garden, Pycnanthemum muticum Mountain Mint, Calamintha nepeta subsp nepeta Calamint, Thuja occidentalis ‘Nigra’ Eastern Arborvitae” by cultivar413 is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Faunal Associations

• “Common Buckeye on Mountain Mint – Pycnanthemum muticum, Meadowood Farm SRMA, Mason Neck, Virginia” by Judy Gallagher is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Information and images compiled by Erik N. Vegeto

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