Pycnanthemum muticum

Short-toothed Mountain Mint

Rising Star of Pollinator Plants

Short-toothed Mountain Mint is a rising star in the world of pollinator-friendly plants. It’s not as well-known as other ‘top ten’ plants for pollinators–like milkweed, echinacea, salvia–but it is an amazing attractor of bees, butterflies, beetles, and other beneficial insects, and it’s got great garden habits and presence too.

Short-toothed Mountain Mint Traits

Originally from the eastern and southern US, this plant is hardy in Zone 4 as a perennial and is a great addition to your perennial gardens!

Short-toothed mountain mint grows 2-3′ high in 2ft wide colonies that spread via shallow rhizomes. You’ll want to give it some room to grow, but you won’t find it’s overly aggressive. The rhizomes are easy-to-pull, so it’s a manageable spread. The plant is in the mint family and the soft green-grey foliage has a strong aromatic mint smell that is pleasant year-round and also happens to be naturally deer and rabbit resistant. The white-pinkish flowers are small and subtle, but the bracts are silvery and quite lovely, and they’ll bloom in August and September.

Where to Plant your Short-toothed Mountain Mint

These pollinator-attracting plants enjoy Full Sun to Partial Shade and moist soil, but they are tolerant of a wide variety of conditions and can be sited on hillsides (strong root systems make them great for erosion control), along woodland edges, in rain gardens, and in border gardens. They will tolerate clay soil, heat, and drought as well!

Give it a try and pair with your other favorite Pollinator Perennials!