Flower of the Day - Wild Bergamot, Bee Balm

Name: Bee Balm, Wild Bergamot

Latin Name: Monarda sp.

Plant Type: Perennial, zone 3-9

Blooming Time: Summer

Blossom Color: Red,pink, blue

Height: Up to 48 inches

Plant Spacing: 2-3 Feet

Special Care Instructions:

Full sun to part sun

Sand to clay

Dry to medium water

Wild Bergamot spreads vigorously. You will have to spend a bit of time in spring pulling out the stems that grow underneath the soil surface.

Deadhead flowers to prolong summer bloom.

Tends to self-seed.

Fun Facts:

Hummingbirds, butterflies and larger bees with long tongues.

Wild bergamot, or Monarda fistulosa, is known as bee balm.

 This perennial herb is a member of the mint family.

It has been used in medicines and foods in the United States for hundreds of years. HistoryWild bergamot was widely used by Native Americans. The Ojibwe tribe dried and boiled the entire plant to extract its oils, which they used to treat bronchial troubles. They also chewed the leaves and placed the chewed wad inside their nostrils as a remedy for headache. The Tewa found the herb flavorful and cooked it with meat, while the Iroquois used it as a beverage ingredient.