Wild Bergamot

Plant Info

Also known as:	Horsemint, Bee Balm
Scientific name:	Monarda fistulosa
Family:	Mint (Lamiaceae)
Life cycle:	perennial
Origin:	native
Habitat:	sun; dry fields, prairies, along roads
Bloom season:	summer
Plant height:	2 to 4 feet
USDA PLANTS database:	Minnesota county distribution map
Spotted in Ramsey County at:	Long Lake Regional Park Rice Creek Trail Corridor

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Detailed Information

Flower:

Round cluster, 1 to 2 inches across, of tubular lavender flowers. Individual flowers have a ¼-inch wide curved lower petal and a thin straight upper petal. The upper petal has a hairy tip and the lower petal is lobed. 2 stamen extend beyond the flower tip.

Leaves and stem:

Leaves are coarsely toothed, 1 to 4 inches long and up to 1½ inches wide, on short leaf stems, rounded at the leaf base and tapering to a point at the tip. They are hairy underneath and usually smooth on top. Attachment is opposite. The stem is a reddish color, square, and somewhat hairy.

Notes:

This is one of my favorite flowers. In full bloom, the flower head looks like a little fireworks display.

More photos

• a patch of Wild Bergamot

Photos taken at Long Lake Regional Park, New Brighton, MN, July 2007

Comments

Have you seen this plant in Ramsey County, or have any other comments about it?

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Please: Do not ask about where to buy seed or other gardening questions, are plants edible, etc. I am not a horticulturist or botanist, just an enthusiastic hobbyist so I probably don't know the answer. Please check the links page for additional resources. -thanks much

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