Monarda fistulosa
Monarda fistulosa | wild bergamot
Aromatic grayish-green foliage and large lavender flowers make Monarda fistulosa an extremely popular garden plant. Typically unbothered by deer and rabbits, bee balm offers high pollinator support and is fairly adaptable to a range of soil types. This clump-forming native perennial will reach 3-4’ tall. It is often used towards the back of perennial beds because the late-season foliage can look a little tattered, but it is perhaps better appreciated in a meadow garden where the flowers are the only focus.
LOCAL ECOTYPE
Monarda fistulosa | wild bergamot
Aromatic grayish-green foliage and large lavender flowers make Monarda fistulosa an extremely popular garden plant. Typically unbothered by deer and rabbits, bee balm offers high pollinator support and is fairly adaptable to a range of soil types. This clump-forming native perennial will reach 3-4’ tall. It is often used towards the back of perennial beds because the late-season foliage can look a little tattered, but it is perhaps better appreciated in a meadow garden where the flowers are the only focus.
LOCAL ECOTYPE
Monarda fistulosa | wild bergamot
Aromatic grayish-green foliage and large lavender flowers make Monarda fistulosa an extremely popular garden plant. Typically unbothered by deer and rabbits, bee balm offers high pollinator support and is fairly adaptable to a range of soil types. This clump-forming native perennial will reach 3-4’ tall. It is often used towards the back of perennial beds because the late-season foliage can look a little tattered, but it is perhaps better appreciated in a meadow garden where the flowers are the only focus.
LOCAL ECOTYPE
HABIT
Height: 3-4’
Bloom Time: early to mid-summer
SITE CONDITIONS
Light: full sun, part shade
Soil: medium-wet, average, medium-dry, dry
CULTIVATION TIPS
Establishment: will spread by rhizomes
Deer Resistance: high
INTERACTIONS
Pollinator Support: high
Other: frequented by sphinx moths and hummingbirds
CONSERVATION
Native Range: local ecotype
Seed Origin: Fairfield County, CT