The
Mints, Lamiaceae, are a large family of plants with about 40 genera appearing
in eastern North America. Native species
that we commonly think of used as landscape plants include Beebalms (Monarda),
Mountain mints (Pycnanthemum), giant hyssop (Agastache), Salvias and Obedient
plants (Physostegia). There are also the
non-native species commonly used a culinary herbs like thyme, oregano and the spearmint. Common attributes of mints include tubular
bilabiate (having two lips) flowers usually occurring in whorls or dense spikes,
square stems and often aromatic foliage. I
recently wrote about the mountain mints that I have been growing and it got me
to thinking of some of the smaller and less common (in the garden) native
mints.
Here you can see the dense flower cluster of wild basil. Blooming continues from these throughout the summer months. |
One
of the wild mints that always surprises me when I spot it in the meadow is wild
basil, Clinopodium vulgare, (formerly
Satureja vulgaris). Although the leaves and flowers are
essentially unscented, this is made up for by the clusters of pink flowers appear scattered
throughout the tall grasses. The stems
are not particularly stiff, but they lean up against the taller grasses and
meadow perennials like ironweed and wingstem (Verbesina alternafolia) allowing the flowers to reach up to 3 or 4
feet into the meadow matrix. My plants
bloom sporadically throughout the summer months. I've also seen this plant growing alone in
shady sites. Without taller plants to
lean on it grows about a foot tall on lax stems.
Here is some wild basil that is growing in shade and had been surround, until recently, by Japanese stiltgrass. Note how the stems are reachng out to find more light. |
The
native range of wild basil is from eastern Canada to Tennessee and North
Carolina. Outside of that area plants
are likely introductions from Europe. On-line
suppliers of native seed include Toadshade
Farm and Prairie
Moon Nursery (as Satureja vulgaris).
Pictured here is self-heal blooming in mid-July. The flowering stalk grows from about 4 inches to a foot in height. |
Self-heal
or Heal-all, Prunella vulgaris, is
found throughout the Northern hemisphere.
The North American variety (var. lanceolata)
has somewhat narrower leaves than its European relative, which is also found
scattered through the eastern parts of North America. This perennial overwinters as a low mat of
leaves that push up flowering stalks, 6-10 inches in mid-summer. In my opinion these wouldn't work as a ground
cover on their own, since they are attractive for only a few weeks to a month
in summer. But they would be a useful
component in a mixed ground cover including violets, low sedges, spring
ephemerals and the like. One year it was
growing densely in the vegetable garden so I thought I would treat it as a
green mulch around some tomatoes. Turns
out the tomatoes did not do well surrounded by self heal. I guess that there was too much
competition and the tomatoes lost
out.
This plant is edible and can be added to salads. Among its uses as an herbal remedy treatment of wounds and infections of the throat. It is attractive to bees and butterflies and is a host plant for the clouded sulfur butterfly. Seeds are available from several sources found on-line. To get the North American variety you may need to check and verify with the supplier where the seed is from.
This plant is edible and can be added to salads. Among its uses as an herbal remedy treatment of wounds and infections of the throat. It is attractive to bees and butterflies and is a host plant for the clouded sulfur butterfly. Seeds are available from several sources found on-line. To get the North American variety you may need to check and verify with the supplier where the seed is from.
Here is Meehan's mint (circled) growing in dry shade. Also present here are Virginia creeper (good) and Vinca minor (bad). |
Meehan's
mint, Meehania cordata, is native to
the Appalachian Mountains from western Pennsylvania to Tennessee and North
Carolina. It grows well in shady moist
areas as a trailing vine that roots where leaf nodes contact the soil. It can also handle dry shade, though it will
be less vigorous. In general appearance
it is similar to the weedy invasive, ground ivy, Glechoma hederacea. Meehan's
mint has slightly larger and stiffer foliage and has no scent when crushed,
unlike ground ivy. Under favorable
conditions it blooms in late spring with clusters of inch long lavender blue flowers held on 6
inch long stems. In this respect the
floral display of Meehan's mint surpasses that of ground ivy. It is recommended as a native substitute for
exotic ground covers like ajuga and lamiums.
Mine
is growing in dry shade and has not bloomed yet. Follow this link
to see it in bloom. When getting it established one needs to be careful about
not confusing it with other similar, but non-native species like ground ivy and
ajugas. You can find Meehan's mint at
nurseries specializing in native species or on-line nurseries, such as Izel
Plants.