By Ann Lapides
Don’t be fooled by this beauty’s low-key presence. Blunt Mountain Mint, Pycanthemum muticum, packs a wallop of top features. In summer, a flat flower cluster of pale lavender-pink is set off by silvery bracks. The bracks create a soothing yet fascinating display, looking like they have been dusted by white powdery snow. A strong mint-like scent fills the air when the leaves are crushed. One of the best plants to attract butterflies, bees, birds, and other pollinators.
In a field test it attracted more pollinators than all the other plants. It is the host plant for the Gray Hairstreak Butterfly. For a natural mosquito repellent, rub the leaves on your skin. A Missouri and Illinois native perennial. Blunt Mountain Mint has won numerous awards for its many attributes, most importantly, its support of pollinators and wildlife.
Blunt Plant of MeritMountain Mint matures to a 1-3′ clump of foliage and is best used as a background plant for showier selections. It makes a good companion plant for other summer-blooming perennials. It is a top choice for butterfly, pollinator, and cottage gardens and natural areas such as wildflower gardens and meadows. Its tough roots make it good for erosion control and slopes. Its leaves can be used to make tea. Deer and rabbit resistant.
Not to be confused with the aggressive mints that sometimes take over the neighborhood, Blunt Mountain Mint only shares the common name “mint.”
It has won multiple awards, including the Perennial Plant Association 2025 Perennial of the Year. Designated a Missouri Botanical Garden Plant of Merit for its many outstanding qualities. Plant in well-draining soil in full sun to part shade. Blunt Mountain Mint prefers rich, moist soil. See it at Sugar Creek Gardens plant nursery in Kirkwood Missouri. Available for online ordering and nursery pickup, sugarcreekgardens.com.
Sugar Creek Gardens
1011 N Woodlawn
Kirkwood MO 63122
314-965-3070
sugarcreekgardens.com