Wild Bergamot

Monarda fistulosa, the wild bergamot or bee balm,^[3] is a wildflower in the mint family Lamiaceae, widespread and abundant as a native plant in much of North America.^[4] This plant, with showy summer-blooming pink to lavender flowers, is often used as a honey plant, medicinal plant, and garden ornamental.^[5] The species is quite variable, and several subspecies or varieties have been recognized within it. Despite its name, it has no relation to the 'true' bergamot, a citrus fruit.

Monarda fistulosa is an herbaceous perennial that grows from slender creeping rhizomes, thus commonly occurring in large clumps. The plants are typically up to 3 ft (0.91 m) tall, with a few erect branches. Its leaves are 2–3 in (5.1–7.6 cm) long, lance-shaped, and toothed. Its compact flower clusters are solitary at the ends of branches. Each cluster is about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) long, containing about 20–50 flowers. Wild bergamot often grows in rich soils in dry fields, thickets, and clearings, usually on limy soil. The plants generally flower from June to September.^[6]