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Hyptis alata

musky mint

Lamiaceae Southeastern United States

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Deer Resistant Fragrant (moderate)Container Friendly

Native to North America

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterHigh

HardinessZones 7–11

Overview

Hyptis alata is an aromatic perennial in the mint family reaching 2-5 feet (0.6-1.5 m) tall and 1-2 feet (30-60 cm) wide, with erect, square stems that are often winged along the angles. Leaves are lance-shaped, 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) long, toothed, and give off a musky scent when crushed. White to pale lavender flowers, each about 0.2 inch (5 mm) long and often dotted with purple, are packed into dense, rounded, ball-like heads 0.5-1 inch (1.3-2.5 cm) wide at the leaf joints and stem tips. Bloom runs from late spring through fall. Small nutlets follow. The plant spreads by seed and short rhizomes and forms stands in damp ground. Stems die back to the base after frost in colder parts of the range. Growth is upright and can become lanky in shade, with fewer flower heads in low light.

Native Range

Native to the southeastern United States from Virginia and Florida west to Texas, and south into the Caribbean and parts of Mexico. Grows in wet pine flatwoods, marsh and pond margins, ditches, and other moist to seasonally flooded open ground at low elevations.

Suggested Uses

Used in rain gardens, pond and stream edges, and restored wetland plantings, spaced 18-24 inches (45-60 cm) apart. Supports bees, wasps, and butterflies through a long bloom season. The spreading, self-seeding habit can fill space in damp areas and crowd smaller plants.

How to Identify

Recognized by dense, rounded, ball-like heads of small white flowers at the leaf joints, square winged stems, and toothed leaves that smell musky when crushed. The clustered flower heads separate it from most other wetland mints, which carry flowers in looser spikes or whorls.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height2' - 5'

Width/Spread1' - 2'

Reaches mature size in approximately 2 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~20 weeks

Spring Summer Fall

Flowers open from May through October across most of the range, and nearly year-round in frost-free southern Florida. Individual heads bloom over a few weeks, and new heads keep forming through the season. Bloom slows during the hottest, driest part of summer in dry years.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

White to pale lavender

Foliage Description

Green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 4-8 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam sand clay

Drainagewet

Water & Climate

Water Needs

High

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

1-2 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grow in full sun to part shade in moist to wet soil; the plant tolerates seasonal flooding and clay. Water to keep the soil damp, since growth and flowering decline in dry soil. In shade the stems stretch and produce fewer flower heads. Plants self-seed and spread by short rhizomes, forming colonies in suitable wet ground. Stems die back after frost in the northern range and resprout in spring. No fertilizer is needed in fertile, moist soils.

Pruning

Cut stems back to the base after frost or in late winter before new growth. Shearing spent flower heads during the season encourages branching and more bloom. The plant resprouts readily from the base.

Pruning Schedule

winter