Featured plant: Wild monarda, bee balm, bergamot

Wild monarda/bergamot (Monarda fistulosa). Perennial. Zone 3-9. This is one of our prettiest native wild flowers. It grows wild in the northeast in moist/wet areas. It is a relative of the showier red bee balm/bergamot/monarda and is just as attractive to hummingbirds. This type of monarda has somewhat of an oregano scent and taste and can be used for tea or to flavor meat. It grows to 3' in full sun, fertile, moist soil. It bears it's blooms mid-summer and makes an attractive mid-border plant in a cottage garden. It will spread like other monarda and the mints it is related to, by sending out stolons. It makes the clump larger every year and it can be divided. It will grow in part sun, but is more prone to powdery mildew in a shady location. If powdery mildew develops, either spray the plants with 1/2 water 1/2 whole milk or use neem oil prepared according to the package instructions.

 Buy seeds here!