June is National Perennial Month
Perennials are at their height of glory right now, with beautiful new growth and blooms. I plan to highlight different perennials each week throughout June. With that said, my first perennial highlight is going to be the 2025 Perennial Plant of the Year, Pycnanthemum muticum, or better known as Blunt Mountain Mint.
I am almost embarrassed to admit this, but up until last fall, I was not familiar with this particular native perennial. Yes, it is native. I am now in love with this plant for so many reasons. Here are some of its strengths:
- Blunt Mountain Mint is native to our area.
- It is a hardy perennial for our climate.
- Because of its fragrance, it is both deer and rabbit-resistant.
- It is a prime candidate for a pollinator garden.
- It does grow large (3 feet by 3 feet), so be sure to plant it where it can grow.
In 2013, Penn State University studied 88 pollinator-rewarding herbaceous perennial plants. Blunt Mountain Mint was the grand winner for the most insect visitors, including bees.
Here’s the bottom line: Blunt Mountain Mint is a must-have for any pollinator garden. Its heads of tiny white blooms attract butterflies, wasps, and bees from July through September. This tough perennial has no disease issues.
Come in to see us this month and look at all of our beautiful perennials. And of course, we do have a nice selection of Blunt Mountain Mint in our native perennial section.
PLANT A LITTLE HAPPINESS—NOT ONLY FOR YOU, BUT FOR ALL OF OUR WONDERFUL AND BEAUTIFUL BENEFICIAL INSECTS!!!