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Native Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

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Monardella odoratissima (Alpine mountainbalm)
Bransford, W.D. and Dolphia

Monardella odoratissima Benth.

Alpine mountainbalm, Coyote mint, Mountain monardella, Mountain pennyroyal

Lamiaceae (Mint Family)

USDA Symbol: MOOD

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

Alpine mountainbalm or coyote mint is a variable species with many subspecies across its range. A grayish, aromatic plant with erect, bunched, leafy stems bearing opposite leaves and topped by small, whitish to pale purple or pink flowers in a dense head. In general, its stems form large mats about 1 ft. high. In bloom, these are covered with flower heads, ranging in color from near white to bright blue-purple. The paired leaves are highly fragrant.

Coyote Mint has many races in the West, varying in density of foliage hairs, breadth of heads, and relative length of bracts and calyx.

 

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Fruit:
Size Class: 0-1 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Blue , Purple
Bloom Time: Jun , Jul , Aug

Distribution

USA: CA , ID , NV , OR , WA
Native Distribution: N. ID to e. WA, s. to NM, AZ & CA
Native Habitat: Wet or dry, rocky, forest openings from 3500-11,000 ft.
USDA Native Status: L48(N), CAN(N)

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Description: Sandy soils.
Conditions Comments: Not Available

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees
Special Value to Bumble Bees

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Propagation

Description: Propagate by cutting, divisions or seed. Seed sown fresh does not need treatment.
Seed Collection: Not Available
Commercially Avail: yes

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden - Santa Barbara, CA
Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Monardella odoratissima in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Monardella odoratissima in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Monardella odoratissima

Metadata

Record Modified: 2007-01-01
Research By: TWC Staff

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