# Got Mint?



## billk (Apr 10, 2012)

Mint came in early. Than again everything was a couple of weeks early this year in central VA.

https://youtu.be/PHL5L4pXDzM


----------



## Estell Tabor (Aug 5, 2014)

What kind of mint is that? They are working it good.


----------



## Phoebee (Jan 29, 2014)

That's Mountain Mint! Yes, our girls like it. It is coming in and they are working it some, but they're still working common milkweed so they're not all in on it yet. We surveyed the nearby valley floor this morning ... the mountain mint is everywhere down there. No really dense stands, but acres and acres of modest density.

Last year our bees had no dearth, and mountain mint was part of the reason. But the real factor is that the bumbles were conspicuously absent. A hard freeze in May destroyed the May-June flow, and the bumbles didn't have anyone feeding them.

This year we're glad to see the bumbles have rebounded nicely.


----------



## billk (Apr 10, 2012)

Yep Mountain Mint.
It seems to bloom for about 4-5 weeks which is good this time of year. I have a fairly good size patch that has spread from just three plants. It can be very invasive if you don't stay on top of it.


----------



## gww (Feb 14, 2015)

I have a mint that I grow in my garden called perilla. It doesn't bloom long but the bees are all over it when it does. I have volinteers come up every spring and so think it could be invasive. I thought about planting it in my fields but durring an internet search I found it was invasive in tennessee. It aparrently kills cows, goats and horses. It is a shame cause it blooms in august before the golden rod.
Cheers
gww


----------



## Phoebee (Jan 29, 2014)

Invasive? My references say that all species are native to North America. Maybe some species have been moved around, but if it is growing wild around you in the US, it may well be native.


----------



## spunky (Nov 14, 2006)

I am a big fan here of catnip. Bees love it. I have some other mint growing with purple spiked flowers , not sure what it is every other flying bug loves it, but the honeybees.


----------



## billk (Apr 10, 2012)

Yes this type of mint is native to this region. When I stated "invasive" I am referring to it's aggressive nature to spread. My wife and I started an herb garden several years ago and we planted three mint plants and now we have a very large mint patch. Not a problem in my book as this plant is very good for the pollinators and it can be controlled (somewhat) my mowing it back.

Spunky, your purple flowering mint may be catmint


----------



## Phoebee (Jan 29, 2014)

spunky said:


> I am a big fan here of catnip. Bees love it. I have some other mint growing with purple spiked flowers , not sure what it is every other flying bug loves it, but the honeybees.


We have one called "cat mint", distinct from catnip, which the bumbles adore, honeys use a little. It grows close to Anise hyssop, which has purple spiked flowers. Is this what you have?

http://wimastergardener.org/article/anise-hyssop-agastache-foeniculum/

Anise hyssop is an agastache, another variant of which is a bee favorite in our garden. "Anise" is associated with licorice scent and flavor ... Anise hyssop has a kind of mint-licorice odor.


----------



## johno (Dec 4, 2011)

Spearmint has a purple flowering top and honey bees don't go anywhere near it. There are apparently 15 varieties of Mountain mint, the one I have is short toothed mountain mint and is full of honey bees and native bees.
Johno


----------



## spunky (Nov 14, 2006)

must be spearmint , because the honeybees don't touch it, but everything else does. It is pretty invasive also


----------



## johno (Dec 4, 2011)

Here is a close up shot of my mountain mint and also spearmint and the last is some cat mint



















Johno


----------



## gww (Feb 14, 2015)

Here is the perila mint in my garden and lots of volenteers though the garden and around it also. I has long stem with white little flowers along it on its top when it blooms and the bees just love it.









Cheers
gww


----------

