''Pycnanthemum tenuifolium'', the narrowleaf mountainmint, slender mountainmint, common horsemint or Virginia thyme, is a

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of t ...

plant Plants are predominantly photosynthetic eukaryotes of the kingdom Plantae. Historically, the plant kingdom encompassed all living things that were not animals, and included algae and fungi; however, all current definitions of Plantae exclud ...

in the mint family,

Lamiaceae The Lamiaceae ( ) or Labiatae are a family of flowering plants commonly known as the mint, deadnettle or sage family. Many of the plants are aromatic in all parts and include widely used culinary herbs like basil, mint, rosemary, sage, savory ...

. It is native to central and eastern North America.

Description

''Pycnanthemum tenuifolium'' is an

herbaceous plant Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of t ...

with wiry, green, branching stems from tall. As with other mints, the stems are square in cross section. Leaves are narrow, opposite, and simple, measuring up to long and less than wide. The flowers are white, borne in dense, half-round heads in summer, June through September. Unlike most plants in the genus, the foliage has a very faint mint fragrance.

Etymology

''Pycnanthemum'' is based on the Greek words pyknós (dense) and ανθέμιον (flower). ''Tenuifolium'' is from the Latin words tenuis (thin) and folium (leaf).

Distribution and habitat

''P. tenuifolium'' is native to central and eastern North America, from Texas in the west to Maine in the east, Canada in the North, and Florida in the south. Native habitats include dry, open, rocky woods, dry prairies and fields, roadsides, pine barrens, streams, and open wet thickets.

Ecology

The plant attracts native bees, bumblebees, honey bees, and butterflies.

References

External links

USDA Plants Profile for ''Pycnanthemum tenuifolium'' (narrowleaf mountainmint)

USDA NRCS Plant Guide: ''Pycnanthemum tenuifolium''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q7262901 tenuifolium Flora of Eastern Canada Flora of the Northeastern United States Flora of the North-Central United States Flora of the United States Flora of the Southeastern United States Flora of the Appalachian Mountains Flora of the Great Lakes region (North America) Least concern flora of the United States Plants described in 1809