Short-toothed Mountain Mint | Pycnanthemum muticum

Short-toothed Mountain Mint is a bold, fragrant native perennial that’s absolutely beloved by pollinators. With broad, silvery bracts and dense clusters of soft pink flowers, it draws in a constant stream of bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects from midsummer through fall.

This adaptable mint family member forms a tidy, bushy clump and spreads slowly by rhizome. It’s a top performer in native plant gardens, pollinator habitats, herbal borders, and regenerative landscapes.

Other common names are Blunt Mountain Mint, Broad-leaved Mountain Mint, and Clustered Mountain Mint

Latin Name: Pycnanthemum muticum

Size at Maturity: 2–3 ft tall and wide

USDA Zone: 4–8

Site & Soil: Grows well in full sun to part shade; prefers average to moist, well-drained soil, but tolerates clay and rocky ground

Pests & Diseases: Remarkably pest-resistant; deer- and rabbit-resistant due to aromatic foliage

🌼 Uses:

• One of the best native plants for attracting pollinators! Supports native bees, honeybees, wasps, and butterflies

• Aromatic leaves with a strong minty menthol scent; raditionally used in teas and infusions

• Dense foliage provides cover and nesting habitat for beneficial insects

• Great for meadow plantings, rain gardens, herbal borders, or companion planting

🛠 Growing Tips:

• Trim in early summer to encourage bushier growth

• Tolerates drought once established but thrives with occasional watering

• Divide every few years to control spread or expand your patch

💡 Fun Fact:
Short-toothed Mountain Mint can attract dozens of pollinator species at once—you’ll hear it buzzing from across the garden!