hoary mountainmint
Pycnanthemum incanum
USDA zones4 to 9
SunHandles full sun to partial shade
WaterHandles dry to moist soil
Size2 to 3 feet tall3 to 4 feet wide
- Habit
- Herb
- Bloom season
- Summer, autumn
- Bloom color
- White sometimes tinged with lavender
- Foliage color
- Gray/silver, green, white
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay, chalk
- Soil pH
- Acid, alkaline, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Hoary mountainmint (Pycnanthemum incanum) is a perennial for pollinator gardens, meadows, and naturalized areas. It is hardy to USDA zone 4, or down to -30°F (-34°C). This plant likes full sun to part shade and dry to moist soil of most types. Bees and butterflies visit the dense white flower clusters, and the silvery leaves smell minty when crushed. It can spread, so divide it every 3 to 5 years to keep it in check. Deer tend to pass it by.
Pairs well with Cardinal flower, Big bluestem, and Indian grass.
Native range
Eastern United States.