Downy Wood Mint

Blephilia ciliata

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  • Common name
    Downy Wood Mint
  • Latin name
    Blephilia ciliata
  • Plant type
    perennial
  • Flower color
    Pale lavender to light purple
  • Bloom time
    Late spring to mid summer
  • Height
    12–24"
  • Chelsea chop
    Yes
  • Light requirements
    Full sun to part shade
  • Moisture
    Average to dry (very drought-tolerant once established)
  • Native to Ontario
    Yes
  • Locally native
    No
  • Deer resistant
    Yes
  • Ecological benefit
    Its flowers are a magnet for long-tongued and short-tongued bees, anthophorine bees, little carpenter bees, and leaf-cutting bees.
  • Notes
    Great for rock gardens, dry borders, and woodland edges. It is much more sun-tolerant than Hairy Wood Mint and can comfortably thrive in bright, open meadow environments. Unlike aggressive garden mints, it stays in well-behaved, non-invasive clumps that spread very slowly via a central taproot and short rhizomes. The heavily scented mint foliage acts as a natural aromatic pest confuser. Planting it in agricultural edges or polyculture gardens helps mask the scent of nearby crops, making it harder for destructive pest insects to locate their target plants
  • Picture
    Downy Wood Mint