Slender Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum tenuifolium)

Slender Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum tenuifolium)

Pycnanthemum tenuifolium is the scientific name for the native plant species more commonly known as Slender Mountain Mint, which supports pollinator communities and broader ecosystem health by offering abundant nectar and pollen from midsummer through early fall, making it a valuable late-season resource for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds; its dense clusters of flowers attract diverse native bees (including bumblebees and solitary bees), swallowtail and skipper butterflies, and nectar-feeding flies.

The aromatic foliage and compact growth provide shelter and foraging substrate for beneficial insects and predatory arthropods that help control pest species, and its tolerance of varied soils and drought helps stabilize groundcover in restorations and meadow plantings, reducing erosion and supporting soil microbial communities. By contributing to floral diversity in prairies, roadsides, and pollinator gardens, P. tenuifolium enhances habitat connectivity for mobile fauna and increases overall resilience and productivity of native plant communities.

Slender Mountain Mint is both deer and rabbit resistant, if not entirely deer and rabbit proof.

Plant Details 

USDA Zones: 4-9

Germination Needs: Needs no special treatment (No stratification needed) Seed is small and requires light to germinate. Surface sow and bottom water for best results.

Life Cycle: Perennial

Sun Exposure: Full to Partial

Soil Moisture: Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry 

Plant Spacing: 12-18 inches 

Height: 2 feet 

Bloom time: June, July, August 

Bloom Color: White

Advantages:

Pollinator Favorite: butterflies, moths, bees, wasps, beetles

Bird Favorite: seeds, insects, fruit, nectar, nesting, perches.

Deer Resistant: Yes

Native to : Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas.

This species is considered present but rare in several counties of the states of Minnesota and Kansas.

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Packet quantities:

We pride ourselves on ethical, hands on, ecological management, using no mechanical or chemical methods whatsoever.

All of our native seed is hand reared, hand picked, and hand packed from native prairies under our exclusive management, never breaking chain of custody from the field until it is sent to you. Each packet is hand prepared for shipment by us, directly.

Small seed species will contain greater than 20-25 seed

Large seed species will contain greater than 10-15 seed

All packets are individually marked at the bottom of the front label with expected count, however most if not all packets will have many more than the minimum count by default.

It is our mission to spread the wealth of native plant and pollinator ecological sustainability, and educate back yard gardeners as well as corporate and government entities in how to germinate, grow, and benefit from native synergies.

Thank you for your support, it is because of you, that we can grow together to do, what we do. 🐛🦋🐝🐞🌾🌱🌼🧡