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