Clustered Mountainmint
Pycnanthemum muticum
- Native to:
- United States
peganum (www.flickr.com) from Henfield, England
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Lamiaceae
- Genus:
- Pycnanthemum
- Species:
- Pycnanthemum muticum
- USDA Symbol:
- PYMU
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 90 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jul,aug,sep
- Bloom Colors:
- white, pink, lavender
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Brown-belted bumble (Bombus griseocollis), Common eastern (Bombus impatiens), Eastern Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa virginica), Lemon cuckoo (Bombus citrinus), Triepeolus lunatus, Two-banded cellophane-cuckoo bee (Epeolus bifasciatus), Two-spotted bumble (Bombus bimaculatus), Two-spotted Longhorn (Melissodes bimaculatus), ⚠️Western honey bee (Apis mellifera), Zadontomerus Ashmead Moths:Atteva aurea, Eichlinia cucurbitae, Grapeleaf skeletonizer (Harrisina americana), orange mint moth (Pyrausta orphisalis), Wavy-lined Emerald (Synchlora aerata), Yellow-collared Scape Moth (Cisseps fulvicollis) Butterflies:American Copper (Lycaena hypophlaeas), American snout butterfly (Libytheana carinenta), Atalopedes Scudder, Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia), Eastern Tailed-Blue (Cupido comyntas), Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus), Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus), Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), Horace's Duskywing (Erynnis horatius), Juniper Hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus), Peck's skipper (Polites peckius), Red-banded Hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops), Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus), Summer Azure (Celastrina neglecta), Zabulon Skipper (Lon zabulon)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies, wasps, beneficial insects
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fragrant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from rhizomes after fire; responds well to prescribed burns in prairie and meadow management.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- Prefers organic matter-rich soils in native habitats
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–30 days
- Notes:
- Seeds require light for germination; surface sow and do not cover.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Cold moist stratification for 60 days at 39°F or a 3 week cool, moist stratification period at 40°F, 35% relative humidity.
Establishment: Seeds were collected once flower clusters dried on the plant and stored in a paper bag at room temperature in a well-ventilated, dry environment until cleaning. Some seeds were collected in Cades Cove, Old Field by NPS staff.
Source: npn.rngr.net