By Jhett Myers

This image shows off the white coloration in the plant.

Pycnanthemum albescens, or white leaf mountain mint, is a perennial plant. Pycnanthemum means dense flower and albescens means white pubescence. It was first recorded by John Torrey and Asa Gray in 1841 (Hill, 6.) It is native to the southern US, and despite its name it has little to do with mountains. Usually being found in dry rocky woods or not far from a creek bed. Most historical accounts of the plant point to it being used for its minty aroma, in tea and one recent account of it used in sausage, for flavor and preservation. It has opposite, decussate, simple, and slightly lanceolate leaves that have a powdery whitish sheen. These leaves are paired with tiny, dense bilabiate flowers, colored white with purple spots, and it’s more noticeable bracts. It stands around 1-3 feet and has a moderate tolerance to drought; it is tolerant to both heat and cold and is rhizomatic. It has been classified as endangered in Kentucky and Illinois, with no wild specimen being found in Illinois since “1977” (Hill, 10.) It doesn’t take much to release its minty odor, just a light bruising on its whitish, slightly serrulate leaves will fill the air with that delightful minty smell. Its dense flowers make it a good plant for pollinators. It stems from many fibrous roots with multiple stems from its base; the stems are also fuzzy. The flowers bloom July through September. Information on this plant is limited as its presence in the wild declines due to invasive species. When describing this plant, it is important to use its scientific name as the common name mountain mint can refer to many other species in the same genus. Ultimately, white leaf mountain mint has seen steady declines in some of its native range, but it is a plant that’s worth keeping around, and finding it growing in the native is always a pleasant surprise rewarded with a minty smell or a fresh herb.