Pycnanthemum
< Horticulture| Mountain mints | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genus: | Pycnanthemum |
| Family: | Lamiaceae |
| Type: | Herbaceous perennials |
| Pest issues: | Rare |
| Disease issues: | Rare |
| Bloom season: | Summer through early autumn. |
| Weediness: | Agressive spreader |
| Pollination: | Insects |
| Vegetative Spread: | By stolons |
| Toxicity and edibility: | Edible |
Pycnanthemum, or Mountain Mint, is a genus of plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. Most species are very strongly scented and pungent, and are used in cooking and in making herbal tea. All plants in this genus are native to North America.
Description
Spreading perennial herbs with opposite leaves, square stems, and head-like inflorescences and stems that are square in cross-section. Individual flowers are small and white.
Growing conditions
Well drained soils, full sun to medium shade.
Species
- P. albescens
- P. beadlei
- P. californicum
- P. clinopodioides
- P. curvipes
- P. flexuosum
- P. floridanum
- P. incanum
- P. loomisii
- P. monotrichum
- P. montanum
- P. muticum
- P. nudum
- P. pycnanthemoides
- P. setosum
- P. tenuifolium
- P. torrei
- P. verticillatum
- P. virginianum
Uses
Grown as a culinary herb, but also as a very high quality nectar source for bees and beneficial insects.
Maintenance
Keep under control by digging out the spreading parts in early spring.
Propagation
Division.
Harvesting
Cut stems at the base, keep leaves on the stem until ready to use.
Pests and diseases
References
- Ann Fowler Rhoads and Timothy A. Block (2000). The Plants of Pennsylvania: An Illustrated Manual. Anna Anisko, illustrator. Morris Arboretum, University of Pennsylvania Press. pp. 478-480.
- Christopher Brickell and Judith D. Zuk (1997). The American Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. DK Publishing. pp. 850.
- Staff of the L. H. Bailey Hortorium (1976). Hortus Third: A Concise Dictionary of Plants Cultivated in the United States and Canada. Cornell University Press. pp. 929-930.
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