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Home  /  Plants  /  Budburst Species  /  Monarda fistulosa
Phenology Observation Sheet for Wildflowers and Herbs

COMMON NAME

wild bergamot

SCIENTIFIC NAME

Monarda fistulosa

ALSO KNOWN AS

Bee balm

Plant family

Mint (Lamiaceae)

Plant group

Wildflowers and Herbs

Wild bergamot is an herbaceous perennial that grows up to 4 ft tall. It typically forms large clumps, spreading by slender rhizomes.
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OBSERVERS
724+
OBSERVATIONS
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Identification hints

Wild bergamot is highly aromatic with a minty smell. It has square, hairy stems that typically have a few erect branches.
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Did you know?

Bergamot is listed as an ingredient in Earl Grey tea, but this is actually the oil from the bergamot orange. Many Native American groups used this member of the mint family for medicinal purposes, and some people still drink bergamot tea during cold and flu season. This plant is also the source of the antiseptic Thymol, used in some mouthwashes.
DISTRIBUTION IN TH U.S.
Alabama , Arkansas , Arizona , Colorado , Connecticut , District of Columbia , Delaware , Georgia , Iowa , Idaho , Illinois , Indiana , Kansas , Kentucky , Louisiana , Massachusetts , Maryland , Maine , Michigan , Minnesota , Missouri , Mississippi , Montana , North Carolina , North Dakota , Nebraska , New Hampshire , New Jersey , New Mexico , Nevada , New York , Ohio , Oklahoma , Oregon , Pennsylvania , Rhode Island , South Carolina , South Dakota , Tennessee , Texas , Utah , Virginia , Vermont , Washington , Wisconsin , West Virginia , Wyoming
HABITAT
Often can be found growing in a wide variety of soils in open woods, wood edges, marshes, wet meadows and ditches.
ATTRIBUTES
Leaves
The leaves are 2-3" long, narrowly oval-shaped and tapering to a point at either end (lanceolate). They are toothed and grow opposite each other along the stem with a distinct leaf stalk (petiole).
Flowers
Flower clusters are found at the ends of the branches, each about 1.5" across and containing 20-50 tubular, lavender colored flowers.
Fruits
Fruits are dark brown to black nutlets.
Bloom Time
Generally blooms between June and September.

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