American mountain mint or hairy mountain mint is an herbaceous perennial in the Lamiaceae (mint) family. Its common names are derived from the mint fragrance emitted from the leaves. It is native to the middle United States, where its natural habitat includes rocky slopes, outcrops, along railroad tracks, open woods, stream valleys and thickets. Grow in full sun to part shade with protection from hot summer sun. Has very densely hairy leaves and stems, giving it a fuzzy texture. The leaves will emit its minty fragrance when brushed against or crushed. When dried, it makes an excellent potpourri. Its spreading by rhizomes can be kept in bay by cutting back the roots in the spring. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: The leaves may suffer from rust stress occurs from transplanting or adverse weather conditions. More information on Pycnanthemum .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt)
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
5 - Groundcover
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Gray/Silver; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Lanceolate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Soft
Leaf value
Fragrant
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
The upper leaf surface is a gray-green with short hairs, while the underside is lighter in color and more hairy. Leaves have 4 to 7 pairs of lateral veins.
Flower color
Purple/Lavender; White
Flower value
Long Bloom Season; Showy
Flower form
Solitary
Flower shape
Lipped
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
The small, two-lipped flower's corolla is white and dotted with small purple spots. The flat-topped flowers sit at the top of the stems.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Egg shaped nutlets, each containing one seed. Lightly haired.
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
The many-branched stems are light green with abundant hairs.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
Eastern USA
Distribution
AR, CT, DE, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MO, MS, NE, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, TN, VT, WV
Wildlife value
Many varieties of bees are attracted to the flowers. Host plant for a stink bug. Butterflies also frequent the blooms. Birds eat its seeds.
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies; Specialized Bees
Play value
Attracts Pollinators; Easy to Grow; Fragrance; Wildlife Larval Host
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Meadow; Naturalized Area; Patio; Slope/Bank; Small Space; Walkways