If you’ve ever thought “You know, I just don’t have enough hairy plants in my garden”, you’re not alone. Well, actually maybe you are…but either way, Hairy Wood Mint is here to help. Put away your razor and admire the light fuzz that covers the stems and leaves of this native mint species, which not only provides an interesting texture but dissuades some of our hungrier garden critters. Charming, dense whorls of tubular, white blooms accented with purple line the upright stems for weeks in early summer, giving rise to another common name, hairy pagoda plant.
While a member of the mint family, this species lacks the quintessential minty pungency to make it a useful herb in the kitchen, but it’s more than useful to our local pollinators, attracting a wide variety of species to its nectar-rich blooms. As with most mints, Hairy Wood Mint isn’t shy, so plant in your woodland garden to spread and watch it shine.
Conditions: Part sun to part shade; medium to wet soils
Size: 1’–3’ tall
Zone: 4 - 8
Wildlife Value: Flowers attract a variety of insects including bees, butterflies, and moths frequent this plant for its nectar
Photo: Cecelia Alexander