Plant of the Week: Wild Bergamont

What's a bee's favorite lotion?  

Bee balm!  

This week's plant of the week has gardeners and pollinators alike buzzing with excitement. Bee balm (Monarda fistulosa), also known as wild bergamot, is a native perennial in the mint family. You can spot its purple flowers blooming in summer across prairies and along roadsides. Its native range stretches from the Atlantic to the Pacific and from the Texan coast to northern Canada. It's widespread across the US, tolerating a variety of conditions, but favoring sunny dry prairies.  

Bee balm has a long history of medicinal use by many indigenous people and first nations. It's uses ranged from hair conditioner to antiseptic, but most commonly was used as a tea to treat colds. As I'm sure you can guess from the name, Bee balm is a pollinator magnet, attracting pollinators of all kinds - including hummingbirds! There are many cultivars and subspecies of bee balm, ranging in color from vibrant reds to pinks and purples. The bee's knees of pollinator plantings, bee balm is a well-loved addition to native plant gardens.  

Written by Brandon Canaie