Friday, January 23, 2015

Slender (or Narrowleaf) Mountain Mint

Photographed 17 July 2014, Cinder Path prairie remnant east of Derby, Iowa.

Pycnanthemum tenuifolium. No mountains in sight, but native to Lucas County and other southern Iowa upland black dirt prairies; rare farther north. Grows 1-3 feet tall with short narrow leaves and frequent branching. profuse clusters of small tubular white flowers appear mid- to late July.

Plants, when crushed fresh or dried, have a strong, pleasant minty scent.


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