Virginia Mountain Mint

Description

Pycnanthemum virginianum commonly called Virginia Mountain Mint or common Mountain Mint, is a native perennial forb (wildflower) in Missouri. It typically occurs in moist soils in wet meadows, swamps and along streams and ponds. Virginia Mountain Mint grows up to 3′ tall, branching frequently, often with a bushy appearance.

Many insects are strongly attracted to the flowers, including various bees, wasps, flies, small butterflies, and beetles. Typical visitors from these groups include honeybees, Cuckoo bees, Halictid bees, Sphecid wasps, Eumenine wasps, bee flies, Tachinid flies, Wedge-shaped beetles, and Pearl Cresecent butterflies. Most of these insects seek nectar. Mammalian herbivores and many leaf-chewing insects apparently find the mint fragrance of the leaves and stems repugnant, and rarely bother this plant.

Mammalian herbivores apparently find the mint fragrance of the leaves and stems repugnant, and rarely bother this plant.

Interesting plant for the herb garden, border, naturalized area or meadow. Also may be grown in open areas near ponds and streams.

The preference is full or partial sun, and moist to average conditions. The soil can contain loam, sand, clay, or gravel – this plant is not fussy about soil texture. During drought, the lower leaves will turn yellow and fall off. This plant is easy to grow, and less subject to foliar disease than some other mints, such as Monarda spp. However, stressed out plants sometimes succumb to rust.

This plant is occasional to locally common in moist to mesic black soil prairies. Other habitats include moist sand prairies, moist meadows in woodland areas, thickets, fens, swamps, and rocky bluffs.

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Pollinators and Hairy Mountain Mint