American Water Horehound (Lycopus americanus)

Distantly related to the European horehound (used in candy flavoring), American water horehound is a native mint with interestingly toothed leaves, and dense whorls of white and pink flowers hugging the stem.  Native to most of North America, this 1-to-3-feet tall perennial typically grows as a single, upright (non-branching) stem, but can form small colonies via underground rhizomes. American water horehound enjoys damp and even periodically flooded areas with clay or silty soils. And, it cheerfully tolerates less than pristine conditions – including urban rivers and wet ditches along roadsides and railroads. Like all native mints, this is an exceptional nectar producer with flowers that are actively visited by many insect species, a very underutilized plant for rain gardens and stormwater systems. 200+ seeds (0.3-grams)