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Babies!

12 years ago

No, not butterfly babies. So far all I've seen around here are cabbage Whites and one azure, probably an eastern tailed blue.

No, I have plant babies. Specifically, a jug full of mountain mint, Pycnanthemum muticum. Not a seed you can sow thinly! I looked in one day and there were about 15 identical, teeny tiny sprouts.

They are a total pollinator magnet. I collected the seeds from a local plant. In season, it was absolutely buzzing with activity, both butterflies and bees. I hope it does well for me, but not too well. It is a mint, after all, and I don't want it taking over the place!
Liz

Comments (2)

  • 12 years ago

    Congrats, congrats, Liz, although I thought I'd be congratulating you on caterpillars!

    It's interesting that you posted about mountain mint. My elevation is about 120', with just slight 'risings' in the earth, can't be described as hills even, just enough ups and downs to have creeks and rivers instead of marshes.
    Much to my surprise, mountain mint grows on some of the dry soils right down the road from here! So I ordered some mountain mint from Sunlight Gardens, which I've planted up close to the main road on a dry, sunny site. I should have researched mountain mint before ordering - there are many types of mountain mint. Among many others, there is P. muticum, like you've got, and the type that grows here is P. albescens. The type Sunlight Garden sent is P. incanum, the type that grows in Tennessee. The leaves of P. incanum smell so good I like to visit the plant and rub the leaves periodically. I'm hoping that this type will thrive here (so far it's doing well, but then summer heat isn't here yet) but if not, I'll have to try to get roadside seeds or sneak around and dig some from a vacant lot.

    I was really surprised to find out that any type of 'mountain' mint grows here, but it even grows on the Coast - it's poorly named!

    I remember seeing a lot of bees on the locals, no butterflies, but I figure if it's appealing to bees, butterflies will probably like it, too.

    In the mean time, I'll just keep smelling the one I ordered! :)

    Sherry

  • 12 years ago

    Congrats on your Mountain Mint, an excellent nectar source.
    I have Mountain Mint as well, and the pollinators love it!! Also looks very attractive with Asclepias verticellata, or Whorled Milkweed. The two plants totally compliment each other.
    I find my Mountain Mint very well behaved in the garden, unlike Spearmint or Peppermint. They grow more like Agastache or Catmint without too many invasive stolons or rhizomes.

    John

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