Also called bergamot, bee balm, horsemint, and oswego tea, Monarda is a genus of annuals and herbaceous perennials belonging to the deadnettle family, Lamiaceae, that also includes mint, lavender and sage. Plants grow 8-60″ tall and have stems that are square in cross section and carry lanceolate leaves 2.8-5.5″ long with toothed margins. The red, pink, pale yellow or light purple flowers are borne in terminal head-like clusters and are tubular with a narrow upper lip and a wider lower lip. The flowers attract hummingbirds and pollinating insects but the plants tend to develop powdery mildew in high humidity. They thrive moist, well-drained soil in sun but tolerate partial shade.
The genus name, Monarda, honors Nicholas Monardes (1493-1588), physician and botanist of Seville, Spain.
Photo Credit: Hardyplants, Wikimedia Commons
The environmental conditions in the Rocky Mountain area have resulted in at least three native species of Monarda there but they may be native to other places too. All three Monardas described here are native to at least one of state in the Rocky Mountain area.
Lemon Beebalm (Monarda citriodora)
A stout stem bears aromatic, narrow, toothed green leaves up to 3″ long. From late spring to summer 2-6 interrupted clusters of lavender to pink or white flowers heads appear. The flowers are attractive to humming birds, butterflies and other pollinators, including bumble bees.
Alternate Name/s: Lemon mint, purple horsemint
Native Range: Utah as well as parts of the Pacific Coast, Southwest, Midwest and Southeast
Habitat: Prairies, pastures, meadows, savannahs, open limestone areas, rocky slopes, hills
Type: Annual or biennial
Height: 1-2.5′
Bloom Time: Late spring through summer
Bloom Color: Lavender to pink or white
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Soil: Average, dry to medium moist, well-drained; alkaline
USDA Hardiness Zones: 2-11
Photo Credit: Michael Wolf, Wikimedia Commons
Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)
Oblong, grayish-green leaves are up to 4″ long. The pink to lavender flowers appear in dense, rounded terminal clusters subtended by a whorl of showy, pinkish, leafy bracts, and attract humming birds, butterflies, and other pollinators including bumble bees.
Alternate Name/s: Bee balm, eastern bergamot
Native Range: All the Rocky Mountain area as well as all of the US except Florida and California.
Habitat: Prairies, fields, wet meadows, marshes, dry open woods, woodland margins
Type: Perennial
Height: 2-4′
Bloom Time: Summer
Bloom Color: Pink to lavender
Light :Full sun to partial shade
Soil: Fertile, dry to medium moist, well-drained; tolerates poor soil, drought and heat
USDA Hardiness Zones:3-9
Photo Credit: D. Garden E. Robertson, Wikimedia Commons
Spotted Beebalm (Monarda punctata)
The narrowly lanceolate leaves are 1-3″ long and have dentate margins and a Greek oregano fragrance. Clusters of pale yellow flowers spotted with purple appear in in the leaf axils and stem ends over a long bloom time starting in late spring to summer. Each cluster is subtended by light pink to white tinged leafy bracts which are more showy than the flowers. The flowers attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators including bumble bees, and beneficial wasps.
Alternate Name/s: Dotted beebalm, dotted horsemint
Native Range: Colorado as well as areas in the Pacific Coast, Southwest, Midwest, Southeast, Mid-Atlantic and New England
Habitat: Prairies, pastures, meadows, savannas, sandy areas, rocky woodlands, and coastal plains.
Type: Perennial
Height: 1-5′
Bloom Time: Late spring to fall
Bloom Color: Pale yellow spotted with purple
Light: Full sun, part shade
Soil: Average, sandy, dry to medium moist, well-drained; tolerant of drought and poor soil
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-8
Photo Credit: Amber M. King, Wikimedia Commons
Six states are included in the Rocky Mountains area: Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Colorado, Utah, and Nevada. The geography is diverse and includes mountains, plains, and deserts, and the climatic conditions are variable. Low annual rainfall and high temperatures are typical of some parts of the area, while snowfall and low temperatures are found in other parts and the mountains of all of these states.