Hoary mountainmint
Pycnanthemum incanum
Last reviewed: September 2026
Hoary mountainmint is a summer-blooming forb that flowers from July through September in part sun with low water needs. It suits dry, open sites such as fields, woodland edges, and rocky slopes across the eastern and southeastern United States.
Toxicity unknown
Hoary mountainmint (Pycnanthemum incanum) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.
Light
part sun
Water
low
Size
24"–48" H × 24"–36" W
Bloom
Jul, Aug, Sep
Native to
AL, CT, DC, FL and 15 more states
Pollinators
native bees, wasps, butterflies, beetles
Before you buy
Your city may pay you to plant this
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An aromatic upright plant whose upper leaves turn silvery white as if dusted, surrounding small clustered pale flowers spotted with purple. Crushed foliage is strongly minty. It tolerates dry shade and poor soil.
Growing Hoary mountainmint
Grow Hoary mountainmint in part sun and low water. Mature plants reach 24 to 48 inches tall and spread 24 to 36 inches wide.
Wildlife value
Among the highest-value late-summer nectar plants for total pollinator diversity, drawing dozens of bee, wasp and butterfly species at once.
Common questions
- When does Hoary mountainmint bloom?
- Hoary mountainmint blooms from July through September, producing dense clusters of small white to pale lavender flowers with purple spotting.
- What pollinators does Hoary mountainmint attract?
- Its summer flowers draw native bees, wasps, butterflies, and beetles, making it a useful nectar plant during its July to September bloom period.
- What growing conditions suit Hoary mountainmint best?
- It does well in part sun with low water needs, tolerating dry, rocky, or sandy soils in open fields and woodland edges.
- Is Hoary mountainmint deciduous or evergreen?
- It is an herbaceous forb that dies back to the ground each winter and is classified as deciduous, resprouting from its base each spring.
These answers were drafted with an AI model from this plant's data. Verify care details with a local expert.
Native range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew). Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
If something looks wrong
Common plant problems, and what to check first
These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.
- It is dying right after planting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Wilting even though I watered it
- Brown crispy leaf tips
- Bugs on the plant
Ready to grow Hoary mountainmint? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.