Bergamot

Description

Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa), also known as Bee Balm, is a beautiful and aromatic perennial from the mint family (Lamiaceae). Native to large parts of North America, it is widely grown as an ornamental garden plant and valued as an excellent honey plant for pollinators.

From mid to late summer, Wild Bergamot produces eye-catching flower heads in shades of pink to lavender purple. These distinctive blooms are made up of whorls of tubular flowers held above bushy, branching stems. Growing to around 90cm tall, it adds height, colour, and structure to herbaceous borders and wildlife-friendly planting schemes.

How to Identify

Wild Bergamot forms upright clumps of aromatic foliage topped with rounded, shaggy-looking flower heads. The blooms range from soft pink to lavender purple and have a slightly wild, informal appearance.
The leaves are narrow, softly textured, and release a pleasant fragrance when crushed, being a classic characteristic of plants in the mint family.

How to Grow

Wild Bergamot thrives in full sun or partial shade and grows best in well-drained, limy soils with relatively low soil moisture. Once established, it is easy to care for and naturally forms neat, manageable clumps.

Plants can be lifted and divided every few years to keep them healthy and to create new plants. This makes Wild Bergamot a long-lasting and reliable addition to borders, cottage gardens, and pollinator-friendly spaces.

Available as seed packets or as established pot-grown plants in 9cm pots, it is simple to introduce into a wide range of garden settings. Whether planted for its vibrant summer colour, its fragrance, or its value to bees and butterflies, Wild Bergamot is a wonderful choice for any wildlife-conscious garden.