This species has cultivated garden varieties. It is used as a commercially available tea; either dried flower heads and leaves or fresh ones can be used. The flower heads in winter can be used as underarm deodorant when cross country skiing or trekking. A typical mint, it has paired opposites leaves, a square stem, and fragrant aroma.

In inventorying the plant species of Wadena County Minnesota, I discovered this one at only a single site in the county during my lifetime. It probably represents a survivor from the dry climatic period about 7000 years ago when prairie dominated the entire region. A prairie plant, this is one of 825 species of documented occurrence, making Wadena County among the four counties having the greatest number of known specimens in Minnesota.