Flower profile
Narrowleaf mountainmint
Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
Narrowleaf mountainmint (Pycnanthemum tenuifolium) is a flowering plant in the Lamiaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly June–August across the U.S.
Narrowleaf mountainmint is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Arkansas it's most often seen in bloom in May–July.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Arkansas
Quick look
Pycnanthemum tenuifolium, the narrowleaf mountainmint, slender mountainmint, common horsemint or Virginia thyme, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is native to central and eastern North America.
- It belongs to the Lamiaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 35 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Arkansas. NatureServe
- In Arkansas, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–July. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 752 research-grade sightings of it in Arkansas, ranking #57 among the 170 flowers on our Arkansas list. iNaturalist
When does it bloom?
In Arkansas, most flowering sightings come in May–July.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
- Arkansas
- No list Arkansas has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Arkansas ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Arkansas.
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: NE (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
NC State Extension notes: “The dried leaves and flowers are used for making teas and flavorings.” NC State Extension
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records narrowleaf mountainmint in 35 states plus Washington, D.C.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin; District of Columbia.
Arkansas counties with USDA records: Arkansas, Ashley, Baxter, Benton, Boone, Bradley, Carroll, Chicot, Clark, Clay, Cleburne, Cleveland, Columbia, Conway, Craighead, Dallas, Drew, Faulkner, Franklin, Fulton, Garland, Grant, Greene, Hempstead, Howard, Independence, Izard, Jefferson, Johnson, Lawrence, Lee, Lincoln, Logan, Lonoke, Madison, Marion, Monroe, Montgomery, Newton, Perry, Pike, Poinsett, Polk, Pope, Prairie, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, Scott, Searcy, Sebastian, Sevier, Sharp, St. Francis, Union, Van Buren, Washington, White, Woodruff, Yell.
Names, range and relatives
Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.
County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 1052 counties across 32 states; the most are in Missouri (105), Illinois (93), Virginia (82).
More from the Lamiaceae family (44 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Common selfheal, Ground-ivy, Red deadnettle, American beautyberry, Henbit deadnettle, Wild bergamot, Lyreleaf sage, American germander.
More Arkansas flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile PYTE.
- iNaturalist, Pycnanthemum tenuifolium: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Pycnanthemum tenuifolium (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Arkansas: Arkansas State Plant Board noxious weeds and prohibited plants (2 CAR § 50-101).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Pycnanthemum tenuifolium (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
- Photo: hr_dragonfly via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.