Pycnanthemum incanum - Hoary Mountain Mint

Visit the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service website site to learn the natural range of Hoary Mountain Mint.

Endangered - Vermont and New Hampshire

Nectar - Hummingbirds, skippers, Hairstreak butterfly, day flying moths,  tachinid flies, syrphid flies, beetles, beneficial wasps

Pollination - Sweet bees, Digger bees and other native bees.

Seed - Large amount of seed produce evidently birds aren't especially fond of them

Pollen nourishment - Leaf Beetles, flies,

Deer - Tend to avoid plants in the mint family

Hardy Zone - 4 to 8

Family - Lamiaceae

Leaves - Silvery white as the plant matures. This past season (2020) was the first time we have raised Hoary Mint. Initially, I thought the plant was sick and had something similar to Powdery Mildew. A closer inspection reveled the baby powder like coating was the telling sign that our plants were indeed Hoary Mint. Hoary means pale white and in the Greek language Pycnanthemum means densely flowered.

Seed collect in fall of 2020 - were first dried. Dried seed have an unique smell that I can't quite put a finger on. Maybe a combination of severeal Italian herbs. Definitely not minty like I would expect.

*Note to self, in the spring of 2021, take notice of what fresh Hoary Mint leaves smell like.

Stratification - Suggested 90 days cold storage. Seed was placed in small plastic bag with vermiculite and enough water to moisten.