Virginia Mountainmint
Pycnanthemum virginianum
- Native to:
- Canada, United States
Hardyplants (en.wikipedia.org) at English Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Lamiaceae
- Genus:
- Pycnanthemum
- Species:
- Pycnanthemum virginianum
- USDA Symbol:
- PYVI
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 90 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jul,aug,sep
- Bloom Colors:
- white
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Curve-toothed geometer (Eutrapela clemataria), Hermit sphinx (Sphinx eremitus), Tobacco budworm (Heliothis virescens)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Eastern Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa virginica), Half-black bumble bee (Bombus vagans), Two-spotted bumble (Bombus bimaculatus), ⚠️Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) Butterflies:Atalopedes Scudder, ⚠️Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos), Wild Indigo Duskywing (Erynnis baptisiae), 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 from rhizomes after fire; benefits from periodic burning in prairie systems.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- moist, rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- good drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- prefers habitats like meadows and stream banks
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 3.8˚Celsius (39° Fahrenheit) can be applied, but it is not necessary as it has negligible effects on germination rate.
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. Germination rates varied slightly between collections and whether cold moist stratification was applied.
Source: npn.rngr.net
ORGHPS Germination Guide: Sow @ 4C for 3 months, then place @ 20C for 3 months.