Description
Silverleaf Mountain-mint, Pycnanthemum incanum
Cherokee people used aromatic leaves as tea for headache, colds, fever and upset stomach. Vapours of the leaves were inhaled before sweat lodge purification ceremonies. Described as spearmint-like or lemony, pennyroyal-like.
These blooms were a great attraction for Sphex pensylvanicus, the Great Black Wasp which are large beautiful black wasps with an iridescent blue sheen. They apparently hunt down grasshoppers etc for their brood so not only a pollinator but insect control. They never bothered me and I walked closely by often so not aggressive.
I couldn’t find much information about seed germination for this plant but I found them quite easy. Like most perennials the germination rate is not as high as annuals. Early spring, I sprinkled seed on the suface of soilless mix and lightly pressed into the soil, around 20C and germination began in a few days. Then under lights until transplanted into pots then hardened off.
