Monarda fistulosa, Wild Bee Balm (Wild Bergamot)

 

Monarda fistulosa, Wild Bee Balm or Bergamot, is one of the great plants of moist, but well-drained to medium-dry prairies, savannas, and woodland edges. This lovely-scented perennial grows across nearly every county in Minnesota and is well suited to medium-sized and larger gardens. A plant in the mint family, it slowly increases in size year over year, but doesn't take over like common garden mints. Like all Bee Balm, it can suffer from mildew late in the summer, but this is less visible when planted within communities of native plants.

Bloom: lavender-pink, July into September

Height: 3-4 feet.

Conditions: sun to pt sun, moist-medium to medium soils

Bee Balm can grow in full sun to part shade.