Last Tuesday morning, I cleaned up a mildly neglected bed of common mountain mint (Pycnanthemum tenuifolium) and slender mountain mint (P. virginianum). Both are hardy, easily grown native plants that tolerate drought, deer, and mediocre growing conditions. They attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. Like other mints, they have a strong fragrance and fuzzy leaves and stems. I worked in the bed for a couple of hours, crawling between the plants, the leaves brushing my face.
Later, I noticed that my cheeks were red and burning, and I had splotches on my neck. I think the irritation was caused by the mountain mint, although North Carolina State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox entries on various Pycnanthemum species do not list contact dermatitis as an adverse effect of handling the fuzzy stems and leaves. In fact, mountain mint leaves are edible.
My reaction was mild, although some redness remained for a few days. I don’t know why I was affected by mountain mint, although I ha...