🎨 AI-generated botanical illustration
🌱 Wild Bergamot (Bee Balm)
Monarda fistulosa
native_plants
perennial
☀️ Sun
full sun to partial shade
💧 Water
low to moderate
🗺️ Zones
[3,4,5,6,7,8,9]
🧪 Soil pH
5.5-7.5
🪴 Soil Type
well-drained, tolerates clay
📏 Spacing
12-18 inches
📐 Height
2-4 ft
🤝 Companions (3)
🤝 Echinacea
Classic native prairie pairing; bloom together
🤝 butterfly weed
Shared conditions; complementary pollinator support
🤝 little bluestem
Native grass support; prevents flopping
⚠️ Keep Apart (1)
⚠️ plants needing rich, constantly wet soil
Wild bergamot tolerates drought once established; wet feet cause powdery mildew
📝 Growing Notes
The wild cousin of garden bee balm — more drought-tolerant, more disease-resistant, and ecologically more valuable. Lavender-pink flowers are pollinator crack — bumblebees, swallowtail butterflies, hummingbird moths, and hummingbirds all fight over them. The oregano-thyme scented leaves make excellent tea.
🛒 Buy Seeds & Plants
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Johnny's Selected Seeds
Botanical Interests
True Leaf Market
Burpee
Territorial Seed Company
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