Simcoe County Master Gardeners
Grow Natives!
PLANT PROFILE
COMMON NAME: Wild Bergamot
BINOMIAL: Monarda fistulosa
| Family | Lamiaceae |
| Cdn Native Range | North America wide |
| Natural habitat | dry fields, prairie, roadsides |
| Type | herbaceous perennial |
| Features | showy flower, summer colour, winter interest, scent |
| Growth habit | tall, spreading, branching stems |
| Mature height | 40cm – 1.5m (3–5 ft) |
| Mature spread | rhizomatous, spread by seed, semi-aggressive |
| Life span | perennial |
| Cdn Hardiness Zone | 3–9 |
| Growing conditions | full sun, part sun |
| Soil conditions | tolerates all soil types incl mesic |
| Watering needs | low |
| Fertilizer needs | none |
| Tolerance | medium drought tolerant to moist well-drained |
| Maintenance rank | low to medium |
| Maintenance needs | lift and divide every 3 years to contain; needs air circulation |
| Bloom | May-Sept, purple, pink rarely white “pompoms” are 2–5 cm (1–2”) across |
| Fruit | 4 brown nutlets |
| Pollinator support | birds, butterflies, esp. eastern tiger swallowtail, native and bumble bees |
| Environmental support | insect and bird support, food source |
| Garden Use | woodland setting naturalizing, pollinator garden, oregano-mint scent |
| Risks & Cautions | prone to powdery mildew; avoid overhead watering |
References: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Centre, https://www.wildflower.org/plants/; Morton Arboretum, www.en.wikipedia.org>wiki>Morton_Arboretum; Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, www.missouribotanicalgarden.org
Photo Credits:
Wild Bergamot with bee (credit: Joshua Mayer, Flickr on CC)
Wild Bergamot–clump (credit: Hardyplants, CC BY-SA 4.0)
Wild Bergamot – winter interest
credit: unknown
