It is not even the new year and already we have a perennial plant of the year. The Perennial Plant Association has named blunt mountain mint as the one to go get. And we carry it here at Grimm’s Gardens! Blunt mountain mint, also known as clustered or short-toothed mountain mint, is one of 19 species of Pycnanthemum in the United Stated.
Here in the Central Great Plains, we can find 5 species growing, although most are not common. I have 3 species in my garden already, including blunt mountain mint. Why did they choose such a little known species for the plant of the year? Well, to get it more commonly known I suppose. It has many benefits in the landscape, from pollinator value to edibility. And it behaves. At least, in comparison to other mints it does.
Growing Blunt Mountain Mint
Mountain mints are one of the easiest plants to grow. As long as you place them in the right spot, sun or shade wise, they are not finicky. I planted blunt mountain mint in a partly shaded corner of my Sunny Cottage Garden bed, where a small leak in my hose system floods it when I water the animals (every 3 days). It will grow well in part sun to full sun, but not deep shade.
The mountain mints mostly prefer full sun to part shade. They are tolerant of some wind, heat, and definitely drought. And blunt mountain mint is one of the longest blooming perennials in my garden. It consistently bloomed from June to October for me in 2023. And it does not need much water, not even drip irrigation.
Why Plant It??
Blunt mountain mint is one of the most consistent blooming perennials. And the blossoms can vary from seed sourced plants. But a large number of pollinators visit the flowers; including bees, wasps, and butterflies.
Although not considered a true mint, it is in the mint family and can be used to make tea or jelly. It is also deer and rabbit resistant due to the odor of its leaves and stems. Blunt mountain mint grows best in Zones 4 to 8 and heat zones 4 to 10. And while it grows by rhizomes and spreads by seed, it is not considered invasive like spearmint or peppermint.

Pollinators
As I mentioned above, there are many pollinators which visit the flowers. Why should we be concerned about pollinators? Bees, wasps, beetles, and other pollinators are part of a healthy ecosystem, where all play a part. By excluding pollinators, you may be excluding pest control services. Pollinators such as wasps feed their young with caterpillars and other insects, lowering the pest populations in an ecosystem.
Some of the pollinators I have seen on blunt mountain mint include:
- Bumblebees
- Cuckoo bees
- Mining bees
- Sweat bees
- Potter wasps
- Wedge-shaped beetles
- Thyanid wasps
- American snout butterfly
- Skippers
- Stink bug hunter wasps
- Thread-waisted wasps
- Checkerspot butterflies
Other Attributes
Besides being a pollinator favorite, it is a host plant for a several mint-loving pyrausta moths, the wavy-lined emerald moth, and the gray hairstreak butterfly.

Companion Plants
Blunt mountain mint is native east of the Missouri River and up along the eastern seaboard of the United States. It is adaptable to a wide range of conditions, but it better grown with other plants in a meadow, prairie, or cottage garden setting. I would not recommend it for a foundation planting where it stands (or falls) alone. Plant it with any of the following plants:
- Bluestem grasses
- Switchgrass
- Echinacea
- Rudbeckia
- Baptisia
- Garden phlox
- Siberian Iris
- Blue sage
- Goldenrod
- Other mountain mints
- Penstemon
- Ornamental onion
- Amsonia
- Culver’s Root
- Wild quinine
- Milkweeds
Conclusion
Blunt mountain mint is a great perennial for 2025, so get some for your garden if you do not already have some. It fits well into a variety of landscape styles, and adds depth, color, and long bloom time for the pollinators. And it is deer and rabbit resistant!
Happy planting!
