BC AB SK MB desert forest grassland mountain ocean urban wetland. Members of the mint family (Lamiaceae), Monarda didyma (Bee Balm) and Monarda fistulosa (Wild Bergamot) are the most commonly cultivated of the 16 species native to North America. There are 2 varieties of Wild Bergamot in Minnesota, var. Like all monardas, it tends to get powdery mildew in late summer, but it isn’t a big deal. Suggested uses. Bergamot can also be used for dried floral arrangements and potpourri where they offer long lasting colour. Wild bergamot prefers full sun but will tolerate light shade. Morning sun with partial afternoon shade. The Indigenous peoples of North America had many medicinal uses for Wild Bergamot, from curing headaches to relieving the symptoms of colds and fevers. Plant in moderately fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil in sun or partial shade. Wild Bergamot. Delivery: These plants can be delivered from September until mid/late October, depending on the season. COMPANION PLANTS: Butterfly Bush, Salvia, Coneflower Image: USFWS Mountain-Prairie , Monarda fistulosa - Wild Bergamot (12775811995) , CC BY 2.0 Share this Wild bergamot is one of several plants also known by the common name of bee balm. CULTURAL & MAINTENANCE NEEDS: Monarda bradburiana thrives in sun or part shade with well drained soil. Wild bergamot, more commonly known as bee balm or Monarda fitulosa, is a perennial flowering plant native to North America. Use mulch to maintain moisture around the plant, it will help to control the weed. The leaves are also wonderful used in herbal tea. Wild Mint. A cold-hardy perennial which can survive temperatures to -30C (-20F) Feeding. Bergamot Growing Guide Crop Rotation Group. Plants. ... An In-Depth Companion Planting Guide Swallowtail butterflies and pollinators are attracted to this plant for nectar and pollen. In the Kitchen: Bergamot leaves are wonderful used in herbal tea. A small black sweat bee, Dufourea monardae, is a specialist of bee balm in the Midwest and Northeast. Luckily for us, these "mystery" plants were wild bergamot (Monardo fistulosa), and they turned out to be our biggest bonus "crop" of all! How to Grow Bergamot. COMPANION & UNDERSTUDY PLANTS: Try pairing Monarda fistulosa with Coreopsis tripteris, Rudbeckia hirta, Liatris spicata, Schizachyrium scoparium and Andropogon gerardii. Monarda fistulosa (Wild Bergamot) is a clump-forming perennial boasting masses of fragrant, lilac-purple, tubular flowers, borne in dense, globular terminal heads, 2-3 in. 1. It grows up to 5 feet tall and produces pinkish-purple flowers in mid- to late summer. Bergamot, Bee Balm Plants Monarda fistulosa Monarda fistulosa was the Herb Society of America's 2013 Notable Native Herb! Cosmos and Lovage. Feel free to plant your wild bergamot either in the spring or the fall. May require staking in small gardens and needs competition to control spreading. The leaves can be used sparingly in salads and fruit drinks, while the dried leaves or fresh leaves can be made into a tea. While both are prone to mildew, they benefit from similar prevention … Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa. It flowers from June to September in dryer areas, on waste lands, and woodland borders throughout most of the United States and Canada. But they bloom at different times, providing you with a succession of blooms that will attract hummingbirds. Wild Strawberry. Wild bergamot attracts a number of specialist bees, bumble bees, predatory wasps, hummingbirds, and hawk moths. It is a clump-forming, mint family member that grows typically to 2-4' tall. Companions. Wild Blue Flax. Beargrass. Companion Plants. Blazing Star. Wisconsin’s Native Americans used bergamot for medicinal purposes. BEE BALM / WILD BERGAMOT SEEDS - Monarda fistulosa Famous for its beauty and fragrance, Bee Balm, also know as Wild Bergamot, is an old flower garden favorite.A Native North American Wildflower, Wild Bergamot can be found ranging from Canada to the American Southeast. Both intuition and objectivity guide my choice of Monarda—known also as bee balm, Oswego tea, horsemint, or bergamot—as one of my best friends in the herb garden. Other companion plants emit a strong odor that pests detest. Miscellaneous Soil. Mature plants can be divided. The latter is a shorter, little branched plant with leaf stalks that are rarely over … Be careful–Wild Bergamot spreads both by underground rhizomes (roots) and by seed. Its pinkish-lavender flowers look like ragged pompoms at the top of 2-5 ft stems. Wild Bergamot sends up multiple leafy stems in a tight cluster, giving the plant a bushy appearance. Garlic, for example, repels slugs and aphids – which is great if we plant them next to our veggies who have a known weakness for aphids. fistulosa, very common throughout the state, and var. This flower—which smells a bit like oregano—is one of the best pollinator-attracting plants you can have in your garden. Wild Bergamot is a favorite of bees and butterflies, but herbivores usually avoid it as the oregano-mint flavored leaves can cause indigestion. The stems are square and the gray-green, hairy leaves have jagged edges and are 1-3 in long. Bergamot (Monarda didyma) is a North American native plant with a scent of oranges. Purple ConeflowerRattlesnake MasterJoe Pye WeedYellow ConeflowerCompass PlantBig Bluestem, © 2020 Blazing Star Gardens LLC | blazingstargardens@gmail.com, Wild Bergamot/Bee Balm (Monarda fistulosa). Monarda fistulosa, commonly called wild bergamot, is a native perennial that occurs in dryish soils on prairies, dry rocky woods and glade margins, unplanted fields and along roads and railroads. They made a tea to treat colds. Companion Plants The most obvious choices for companion plants for Wild Bergamot would have to be Red Bee Balm, and Spotted Bee Balm. Wild bergamot. Blooming for weeks from mid summer to early fall, they rest upon a whorl of decorative whitish bracts. Although only briefly in bloom, this plant is visited by bees, butterflies, and bumblebees. Lemon bergamot, in particular, offers very long lasting cut flowers. Big enough to be called bushy, plant this in a small group or scattered in a garden. The Wichita Mountains form of Monarda fistulosa is a wildflower gem blooming in mid-summer with a fabulous display of lavender-pink flowers that attract hummingbirds. Plants tolerate drought and shallow rocky infertile soils. Wild bergamot grows best in a moist, rich loam with a pH between 6 and 8, although loam soils may cause the plant to flop around during the growing season. Bergamot is a good all round companion for plants that need any … It’s a very bushy plant that spreads a lot by roots and by seed—making it best suited for large, wild gardens. Like all monardas, it tends to get powdery mildew in late summer, but it isn’t a big deal. It was used most commonly to treat colds, and was frequently made into a tea. Wild Bergamot sends up multiple leafy stems in a tight cluster, giving the plant a bushy appearance. across (5-7 cm). Topdress the dormant plants with good compost in winter. I first met beautiful, wild Monarda didyma in the woodlands and meadows of North Carolina. Plants grow 1-2’ tall with an equal spread. Monarda fistulosa (Wild bergamot) will reach a height of 1.2m and a spread of 0.5m after 2-5 years. Wisconsin’s Native Americans used bergamot for medicinal purposes. Wild bergamot was considered a medicinal plant by many Native Americans including the Menominee, the Ojibwe, and the Winnebago (Ho-Chunk). Companion Plants Purple Coneflower Rattlesnake Master Joe Pye Weed Yellow Coneflower Compass … Variety: Wild Bergamot (organic*) In the Kitchen: Bergamot leaves make a fantastic accompanying flavour to meat dishes. AddThis. Wild Bergamot is a member of the Mint family. A good companion for bee balm is summer phlox (Phlox paniculata). Mature plants can be divided. May require staking in small gardens and needs competition to control spreading. Did you know? Wild Licorice. This species is resistant to powdery mildew. The stems are square and the gray-green, hairy leaves have jagged edges and are 1-3 in long. Besides being related through genus, they like the same/similar conditions. Number of plants: 3. You can divide its new roots in the spring and transplant new plants. Bergamot/bee balm. menthaefolia, a more western species found in only a few Minnesota counties. It can grow to approximately 1m in height. Be careful–Wild Bergamot spreads both by underground rhizomes (roots) and by seed. An introductory nature guide to the plants and animals of Western Canada. Wild bergamot is also one of the host plants of the Raspberry pyrausta butterfly. Black-eyed Susan. Bergamot plants prefer moist soils to keep moisture. Variety: Wild Bergamot (organic*) Can be grown in: Plant along your vegetable patch border, ideally against a wall or fence to give it some support. Minty leaves smell good when touched. ... Wild Bergamot. It’s also known as horsemint and wild bergamot, and is native to North America. Cultivation. Monarda bradburiana has similar appearance and culture and could be substituted in some situations. Although this hardy plant can grow in areas that are less than ideal, it prefers full sun and rich, well-draining soil. To prevent the center from dying, divide it into 2 to 3 years, as it dies from the middle and starts spreading to the unwanted area. Drought resistant/drought tolerant plant (xeric). However, if it doesn't get enough sunlight, it may not flower as much. PerennialSun:    Full Sun, Part ShadeMoisture:    Dry, Medium, Medium-WetHeight:    4 feetBlooms:    July, Aug, SeptColor:    PurpleSpacing:    2-3′Spreads: 8” a year by roots; a lot by seedZones:    3-9Benefits:    Butterflies, Pollinators, Hummingbirds. COMPANION PLANTS: There is a wide range of associates including yellow Wild bergamot does require a spot with plenty of air circulation to prevent powdery mildew. This is a beautiful North American wild flower with a strong scent and very attractive lavender coloured flowers. Space plants between 18 and 24 inches apart. Aster. Moderately xeric once established. COMPANION PLANTS: There is a wide range of associates including yellow Number of plants: 3. If you give them ample water at least once a week or more during the growing season, bee balm (Monarda) will reward you with its charming flowers for two months or more. Today, many families still use wild bergamot during the cold and flu season. An excellent native plant for a wild garden, Monarda fistulosa grows to two to three feet and has tousled pink-purple flowers that attract hummingbirds and bees. Wood Lily. Wild Bergamot is a favorite of bees and butterflies, but herbivores usually avoid it as the oregano-mint flavored leaves can cause indigestion. SUGGESTED CARE: Requires little care once established. American or Wild senna. Companion Plants for Bee Balm. They made a tea to treat colds. Also known by its scientific name, Monarda , it’s a flowering plant genus in the mint family. Plants bloom more vigorously if they are divided in spring or fall every 3-4 years. Bees (attract & feed bees), Beds and borders, Cottage/Informal, Low Maintenance, Prairie planting, Wildflower, Wildlife. Frost tolerant. Plants such as beans, for example, fix nutrients back into the soil, making them available for neighboring plants. Position. Also known as bee balm, this plant is a valuable nectar source for monarch butterflies, and the flower clusters are highly attractive to native bees and bumblebees. This is an aromatic family of herbs, which means you gain an eye-catching flowering plant which bees and other pollinators love, and its flowers and leaves can also be used in your cooking. Wild Bergamot, also called bee balm or monarda, forms large bushy clumps with tons of lavender flowers blanketing the top. Sharing the colors and hues of bee balm it provides a sturdy mostly care-free floral display that compares favorably with monarda. Wild Bergamot is a favorite of butterflies, bees and hummingbirds. SUGGESTED CARE: Requires little care once established. 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