Leaf
Alex Abair, Wikimedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Bee balm
Monarda didyma L.
Also known as: Bergamot, Oswego tea, Scarlet bee balm
Family: Lamiaceae
70 to 120 cm tall
Moist borders and beds, humus-rich soil, full sun to partial shade
Flowering: July – September
Full sun
Part shade
Hardy to about -25°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Its scent recalls that of the bergamot used to flavour Earl Grey tea, hence its other name of "bergamot", although it has no botanical connection with the citrus fruit of the same name.
🍃 Leaves
Opposite, ovate, toothed, aromatic when crushed, giving off a smell close to bergamot
🌸 Flowers
Tubular, bright red, grouped in a tight flower head surrounded by coloured bracts, at the top of square stems
🍎 Fruits
Small dry achene (nutlet)
🪵 Bark
Not applicable — herbaceous plant
🗺️ Distribution
Native to eastern North America
🐝 Value for pollinators
Nectar-rich flowers, very attractive to bees, butterflies and, in its native range, hummingbirds
✂️ Horticultural uses
Borders, beds, aromatic gardens; leaves used as an infusion for their scent close to Earl Grey tea
⚠️ Possible toxicity
No known toxicity; leaves edible, traditionally used as an infusion.
🌿 Other Lamiaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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