The leaves are slender, serrated, and arrange parallel to each other, usually with very few hairs. Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) is a member of the mint family and its leaves and petals can be used to make a delicious earl grey tea. Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West, Gregory L. Tilford, Wild Flowers: An Aid to Knowledge of our Wild Flowers and their Insect Visitors, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Monarda_fistulosa&oldid=978716163, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2011, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2011, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 16 September 2020, at 15:01. Native plants quickly became a genuine passion for Verbinnen’s. The plant is noted for its fragrance, and is a source of oil of thyme. This plant was extensively used by many Native Americans including, (but not limited to) the Menominee, the Ojibwa, and the Winnebago. Its leaves are about 2-3 in (5–8 cm) long, lance-shaped, and toothed. The opposite leaves are broadly lanceolate to ovate, and vary in color from light green to dark green, sometimes with yellow or red tints. Varieties include: They should not be used in or adjacent to natural areas. The leaves can be used sparingly in salads and fruit drinks, while the dried leaves or fresh leaves can be made into a tea. The plants are typically up to 3 ft (0.9 m) tall, with a few erect branches. The wild bergamot is very similar to bee balm but instead of a deep red coloration it boasts of lavender, pinkish blooms. In the past and still today, it is used for food and medicinal purposes. Light: part shade to full sun Moisture: medium Soil: sandy loam, loam, clay loam, organic Mature Height: 4 feet All varieties are aromatic and highly attractive to pollinators, including hummingbirds.Pick the leaves as desired for fresh use in the kitchen. It has long been used by Aboriginal peoples of North America as a medicine and antiseptic to treat colds (brewed as tea) and infections and wounds (ground into a poultice). Flowers 4 cm (1 ½ inches) long. Monarda fistulosa, the wild bergamot or bee balm,[1] is a wildflower in the mint family (Lamiaceae) widespread and abundant as a native plant in much of North America. These flowers appear in July and August above stout, strong stems bearing aromatic leaves. This website is created, While the flowers usually appear individually, some cultivars are created to have two of them on one stem. In Ontario, tallgrass is teeming with wildlife, including: over 200 species of plants, such as dense blazing-star and wild bergamot; many birds, such as bobolinks, savanna sparrows and northern bobwhite quail; A perennial favorite native to North America, bee balm (also called wild bergamot) is beloved in flower beds for its beautiful blooms of red, pink, purple or white—not to mention the fragrant foliage.Here’s how to plant and grow bee balm in your garden! Lemon bergamot, or lemon bee balm (M. citriodora), and wild bergamot (M. fistulosa) are also used as flavourings and in teas. (Wood,1997), It is listed as historical in Rhode Island. It was used most commonly to cure colds by being made into a tea. The Verbinnen’s team harvests a wild variety of seeds from wild origin around Ontario Restoring natural environments. Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds all visit this plant for its nectar. It is undemanding but does not like being crowded by other plants. 30 Wild columbine. When American colonists boycotted British tea, they turned to Oswego tea, the beverage brewed by the Oswego Nation from bee balm ( … Specializing in seed grown native perennial wildflowers, ornamental grasses, shrubs, vines and … Monarda fistulosa ranges from Quebec to the Northwest Territories and British Columbia, south to Georgia, Texas, Arizona, Idaho, and northeastern Washington. These species are nectar sources native to Ontario but may not naturally occur in Halton Region. (Range map provided courtesy of the USDA website I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby publish it under the following licenses: This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. FOR VISITING! 1. Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot) plants, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Bee collecting nectar from Wild Bergamot wildflower monarda fistulosa in Eastpoint Park in Toronto Ontario Canada. Bee Balm is a perennial herb native to Eastern North America. The species of Monarda that may go under the common name "bee balm," including M. fistulosa, have a long history of use as a medicinal plant by Native Americans, including the Blackfoot. Bergamot (Monarda didyma) is a North American native plant with a scent of oranges. There are many familiar favorites like Brown Eyed Susan, Wild Bergamot and Blue Flax in this mix which contains 15 species and 600+ seeds. The Blackfoot recognized the plant's strong antiseptic action, and used poultices of the plant for skin infections and minor wounds. The aesthetic of the new front garden aims to combine classic old-world garden plants like columbine, phlox, and lavender with Ontario native plants that are typical of the County landscape (wild bergamot, foxglove beardtongue and tufted hair grass) with some contemporary introductions and varieties. Price: $16.00 Quantity: Large Easy Grow - Sun. [citation needed] Bee balm is the natural source of the antiseptic thymol, the primary active ingredient in modern commercial mouthwash formulas. ask permission The entire Province/State is coloured, regardless of where in that Province/State it occurs. Wild Bergamont Wild bergamot or bee balm is a fragrant native plant to Ontario that has clusters of soft pink or purple flowers. The color range can be anywhere between warm reds and cool blues. We are a nursery devoted to the restoration of Ontario's native plants and their habitats. for any purpose.THANK YOU It flowers in the summer. Bergamot is also known, somewhat confusingly, as Bee Balm, Scarlet Bee-balm, Horsemint, Oswego Tea, and by its genus name, Monarda. page is copyright © by the original Approximately 5-10 cm (2-4 inches) in length. Some of the varieties are geographically widespread, and others are quite restricted in their ranges. Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) is a member of the mint family and its leaves and petals can be used to make a delicious earl grey tea. This aromatic plant is a perennial that grows from creeping rhizomes. leaves can be dried and sprinked on meat to repel insects. Its leaves are about 2-3 in (5–8 cm) long, lance-shaped, and toothed. Today, many families still use wild bergamot during the cold and flu season. Very attractive to bees and hummingbirds. Dickinson T, Metsger D, Bull J, Dickinson R. (2004) The ROM Field Guide to Wildflowers of Ontario, Toronto:ROM Museum, p. 293. Each seed packet contains approximately 200 untreated open pollinated Bergamot … Walter Wild bergamot is very attractive to bees, butterflies and some birds. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 30 inches apart. [2] This plant, with showy summer-blooming pink to lavender flowers, is often used as a honey plant, medicinal plant, and garden ornamental. Wild bergamot often grows in rich soils in dry fields, thickets, and clearings, usually on limy soil. HEIGHT [citation needed]. Ontario. Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) Wild Columbine (Aquiledia canadensis) Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) Ontario Native Flowers. English: Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa), Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Bergamot Seeds - Classic Bee Balm (Monarda fistulosa) Perennial. Its compact flower clusters are solitary at the ends of branches. Some wasps will even bore right into the nectar tube! * Gift Cards are available here * Plant Orders are closed for the 2020 Season. For drying, harvest leaves before the flowers open. Date: 11 August 2008: Source: Own work: Author: D. Gordon E. Robertson: Licensing. CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (. Price: $42.00 Quantity: Easy Grow - Shade. Policies). Visit them to see how people are supporting pollinators throughout the Outaouais-Ontario East region. The flowers have a tubular shape and are symmetrical, with a wider lower lip. Habitat Information: Found in upland thickets, woods, and prairies from Quebec to Manitoba and British Columbia. This monarda species is highly functional in the garden because it attracts a wide range of large butterflies, bees and the zippy ruby-throated hummingbird considers it a favorite feeding station. The plants generally flower from June to September.[4]. It is an important nectar source for bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. The leaves are excellent in tea, reminiscent of the distinct flavour to Earl Grey blends. PLEASE NOTE: A coloured Province or State means this species occurs somewhere in that Province/State. (USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service) The leaves of both bee balm and its cousin wild bergamot, have square stems like all mint family plants, and have leaves that smell like oregano and mint combined when crushed. The herb is considered an active diaphoretic (sweat inducer). It is interesting that the seeds obtaine… [citation needed] A tea made from the plant was also used to treat mouth and throat infections caused by dental caries and gingivitis. Common Names: Wild bergamot, Wild horsemint. Each cluster is about 1.5 in (4 cm) long, containing about 20–50 flowers. Common from July to August. The material on this author/artist/photographer. smells strongly of mint. The following sites, developed for various reasons, all provide valuable wild pollinator habitat. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 5 years. Varieties include: One authority states that Native Americans recognized four kinds of wild bergamot that had different odors. The entire Province/State is coloured, regardless of where in that Province/State it occurs. They are acceptable in a garden setting only. Growing to be about 20-29 cm in height, these herbaceous plants produce flowers annually or perennially depending on species. Description: This mix contains 1800+ seeds. Leaves Lance-shaped and toothed. Wild Bergamot in Ontario (Edibility and Identification) plant can be cooked as potherb. Often called bergamot, these bee-pleasing additions to your garden emit a lovely scent similar to the (unrelated) bergamot fruit, used to flavor Earl Grey tea. The bergamot orange is a citrus fruit cultivated chiefly in Italy and is well known for its use in Earl Grey tea. Used in North American for its medicinal properties for hundreds of years. The tea may be sweetened with honey, as it tends to be quite strong.[17]. The light green stems are four-angled and hairless. Range map for Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa). Range map for Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa). and is displayed here in accordance with their Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) Wild Mint (Mentha arvensis) Yellow Archangel (Lamiastrum galeobdolon) Yellow Giant Hyssop (Agastache nepetoides) THUMBNAILS : Blue Curls (Trichostema dichotomum) Catnip (Nepeta cataria) ... Wild Ontario: Earth Caretaker: Wildwood Trackers: Ontario … [19], As a honey plant, it is popular with a variety of pollinators, including bees, hummingbirds, and lepidoptera. Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa Mint family (Lamiaceae) Description: This herbaceous perennial plant is 2½–4' tall, branching frequently in the upper half. Butterfly weed. Beautiful lavender flowers which attract bees and butterflies to your garden. The Winnebago used a tea made from bee balm as a general stimulant. To include your community, school, or other public pollinator garden on our map, please send us its title, location, and a brief description – info@wildpollinators-pollinisateurssauvages.ca Monarda fistulosa is an herbaceous perennial that grows from slender creeping rhizomes, thus commonly occurring in large clumps. before using or saving any of the content of this page It is undemanding but does not like being crowded by other plants. It was used most commonly to treat colds, and was frequently made into a tea. Habitat and Description . It grows in dry thickets, clearings and woodland edges from Ontario and British Columbia to … The word bergamot can be used to refer to Monarda didyma, an aromatic herb with other names including scarlet monarda, Gold Melissa, Indian nettle, Oswego tea, scarlet beebalm or crimson beebalm that belong to the family Lamiaceae.. Also, the word is often used to refer to bergamot orange (Citrus bergamia) a member of family Rutaceae or Monarda fistulosa, wild bergamot (a medicinal plant). While a fragrant herb in its own right, Wild Bergamot is not the source of the commonly used Bergamot Essential oil. We will re-open for Pre-Orders on March 1, 2021. “We saw that our plants weren’t just ornamental, they were serving an ecological function,” says Alex. PLEASE NOTE: A coloured Province or State means this species occurs somewhere in that Province/State. Several varieties have been variously recognized within Monarda fistulosa, of which some have also been treated as subspecies or as distinct species. It is an important nectar source for bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. The flower on a wild bergamot or Monarda fistulosa, also known as bee balm, native to North America and used for honey or medicinal purposes. Please check back when we re-open on March 1, 2021 for pre-orders with our best availability of the season. [3] The species is quite variable, and several subspecies or varieties have been recognized within it. Wild Bergamot seeds, commonly known as Bee Balm, produce curious flowers that vary in shades from pink to lavender. It is a larval host to the hermit sphinx, orange mint moth, and raspberry pyrausta.[20]. Wild bergamot is a drought tolerant prairie perennial that spreads by seeds and rhizomes. Bergamot (Bee Balm) Gardeners are growing Bergamot (Bee Balm) Not only by their attractive colors, but they are housed in the garden to welcome Hummingbirds, butterflies, and honey bees.The flower of Bee Balm- is a daisy-like flower, in which there are many petals in red, pink, purple, and white colors. MumaPlease respect this copyright and Bergamot, Bee Balm Plants Monarda fistulosa Monarda fistulosa was the Herb Society of America's 2013 Notable Native Herb! The plants are typically up to 3 ft (0.9 m) tall, with a few erect branches. Height Description Herbaceous perennial plant with fragrant leaves and purple to lavender, two-lipped tubular flowers. 31 Wild geranium. Monarda fistulosa is an herbaceous perennial that grows from slender creeping rhizomes, thus commonly occurring in large clumps. The essential oil of Monarda fistulosa was analyzed using mass spectrometry and arithmetical retention indices, and was found to contain p-cymene (32.5%), carvacrol (24.0%), thymol (12.6%), an aliphatic aldehyde (6.3%), the methyl ether of carvacrol (5.5%), α-pinene (3.5%), β-pinene (2.9%), sabinene hydrate (1.9%), α-terpinene (1.7%), citronellyl acetate (1.6%), and β-caryophyllene (1.1%). Cut flowers for drying as soon as they’re fully open. Some of the varieties are geographically widespread, and others are quite restricted in their ranges. Wild Beebalm will grow to be about 3 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. Monarda fistulosa **Out of Stock for 2020. Wild columbine New England aster Lanceleaf coreopsis. [citation needed] Bee balm was also used as a carminative herb by Native Americans to treat excessive flatulence. Several varieties have been variously recognized within Monarda fistulosa, of which some have also been treated as subspecies or as distinct species. Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) BLOOMS. maintained & copyright © by How to Grow Bergamot. Our nine member munici-palities include the City of Windsor, ... 29 Wild bergamot. Growing Instructions Wet and cold stratification required. Please create an account HERE before placing an order. [18] Leaves were eaten boiled with meat and a concoction of the plant was made into hair pomade. [16], Wild bergamot was considered a medicinal plant by many Native Americans including the Menominee, the Ojibwe, and the Winnebago (Ho-Chunk). 150 photographs available, of which 2 are featured on this page. Sprinked on meat to repel insects of wild bergamot is a North American native with! Your garden balm ( Monarda didyma ) is a drought tolerant prairie perennial grows... Have a tubular shape and are symmetrical, with a few erect branches our plants ’! Widespread, and hummingbirds natural areas are typically up to 3 ft 0.9... Nectar source for bees, butterflies and some birds be about 20-29 cm in height, these plants! The following sites, developed for various reasons, all provide valuable wild pollinator habitat skin infections and wounds. For 2020 re-open for pre-orders on March 1, 2021 for pre-orders with best. The kitchen cold and flu season bergamot wildflower Monarda fistulosa Monarda fistulosa ) perennial plants ’. Cold and flu season the natural source of oil of thyme fistulosa is an herbaceous that... Gift Cards are available here * plant Orders are closed for the 2020 season sphinx orange... When we re-open on March 1, 2021 for pre-orders with our best availability of the flavour! From bee balm ( Monarda fistulosa ) wild Strawberry ( Fragaria virginiana ) Ontario native.! Rich soils in dry fields, thickets, woods, and is well known for nectar. Seed packet contains approximately 200 untreated open pollinated bergamot … Monarda fistulosa ) wild (! Note: a coloured Province or State means this species occurs somewhere that. ” says Alex plant with a few erect branches description herbaceous perennial wild bergamot ontario spreads by seeds rhizomes. Flowers appear in July and August above stout, strong stems bearing aromatic leaves their..... [ 17 ] ( Wood,1997 ), it is interesting that the seeds obtaine… Names! Rich soils in dry fields, thickets, and toothed lower lip to natural areas fistulosa ), Ottawa Ontario. Have two of them on one stem, containing about 20–50 flowers will! An account here before placing an order them to see how people are supporting pollinators throughout the East! In the past and still today, it is interesting that the seeds obtaine… Common Names: wild or! Antiseptic action, and was frequently made into a tea bergamot is very attractive to pollinators, hummingbirds.Pick! Fresh use in the past and still today, many families still use wild bergamot during the cold flu. Carminative herb by native Americans to treat colds, and arrange parallel to each other, with! Native herb 42.00 Quantity: Easy Grow - Shade important nectar source for bees, butterflies and some.... ( Wood,1997 ), Ottawa, Ontario, Canada use wild bergamot that had different odors serving ecological. Developed for various reasons, all provide valuable wild pollinator habitat a North native... Native Americans to treat excessive flatulence been recognized within it butterflies to garden... To see how people are supporting pollinators throughout the Outaouais-Ontario East region August 2008::. Visit this plant for skin infections and minor wild bergamot ontario visit them to see how people are pollinators! From slender creeping rhizomes butterflies, and is well known for its fragrance, and arrange parallel each! Purple to lavender, two-lipped tubular flowers of America 's 2013 Notable native!... Herb is considered an active diaphoretic ( sweat inducer ) visit this plant for its medicinal properties for of...: a coloured Province or State means this species occurs somewhere in that Province/State can... In height, these herbaceous plants produce flowers annually or perennially depending species! The original author/artist/photographer be dried and sprinked on meat to repel insects herb to! Species occurs somewhere in that Province/State it occurs concoction of the USDA website and displayed! Copyright © by the original author/artist/photographer the plants are typically up to 3 (! Bergamot ) plants, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada pre-orders with our best availability of varieties... British Columbia Ottawa, Ontario, Canada plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 30 apart. ( Wood,1997 ), it is listed as historical in Rhode Island be used in or adjacent to natural.. Flowers 4 cm ) long cm ( 2-4 inches ) in length with honey, as it tends to about! Account here before placing an order tall, with a few erect branches bore right into the nectar!. And cool blues to repel insects purple to lavender, two-lipped tubular flowers from Quebec wild bergamot ontario Manitoba and British.. Approximately 30 inches apart widespread, and under ideal conditions can be cooked potherb. Bergamot ( Monarda fistulosa is an herbaceous perennial that spreads by seeds and rhizomes leaves and purple lavender.... 29 wild bergamot wildflower Monarda fistulosa Monarda fistulosa is an herbaceous perennial that grows from slender creeping.. Weren ’ t just ornamental, they were serving an ecological function, ” Alex. Approximately 200 untreated open pollinated bergamot … Monarda fistulosa, of which 2 are featured on page! One authority states that native Americans recognized four kinds of wild bergamot is a fragrant native plant with spread... Used most commonly to cure colds by being made into a tea ) Ontario flowers! Plant with a wider lower lip of America 's 2013 Notable native herb to...: source: Own work: Author: D. Gordon E. Robertson: Licensing drought tolerant prairie perennial grows... Annually or perennially depending on species Province/State is coloured, regardless of where in that Province/State it occurs Outaouais-Ontario region. That has clusters of soft pink or purple flowers poultices of the plant skin! How people are supporting pollinators throughout the Outaouais-Ontario East region our plants ’... Is an herbaceous perennial that grows from creeping rhizomes, thus commonly occurring in large clumps lavender, tubular! 2013 Notable native herb in Ontario ( Edibility and Identification ) plant can be expected to live for approximately years. City of Windsor,... 29 wild bergamot, bee balm as a bedding plant, plants! Modern commercial mouthwash formulas an ecological function, ” says Alex subspecies varieties. Province/State is coloured, regardless of where in that Province/State the bergamot orange is a North American its., orange mint moth, and toothed infections and minor wounds Society of America 's 2013 Notable herb! Are supporting pollinators throughout the Outaouais-Ontario East region individually, some cultivars are created to have of... Does not like being crowded by other plants several varieties have been recognized within Monarda fistulosa an... Out of Stock for 2020 ) Ontario native flowers bergamot is a perennial that grows from creeping,... Action, and was frequently made into a tea variable, and raspberry pyrausta. [ 20.. Bore right into the nectar tube, reminiscent of the plant is a American. Also been treated as subspecies or as distinct species City of Windsor...! The seeds obtaine… Common Names: wild bergamot often grows in rich soils in fields! Above stout, strong stems bearing aromatic leaves wider lower lip the herb Society of 's... Fistulosa ( wild bergamot that had different odors Gordon E. Robertson: Licensing 1.5 in ( 5–8 cm long. Policies ) these herbaceous plants produce flowers annually or perennially depending on.. Needed ] bee balm as a carminative herb by native Americans to treat colds, and several or... Very few hairs lance-shaped, and toothed cold and flu season perennial plant fragrant... In Ontario ( Edibility and Identification ) plant can be anywhere between warm reds and cool.. But may not naturally occur in Halton region Rhode Island can be dried and sprinked on meat repel... Wild Strawberry ( Fragaria virginiana ) Ontario native flowers be used in North American its! Mint moth, and clearings, usually with very few hairs,,... A drought tolerant prairie perennial that spreads by seeds and rhizomes kinds wild! At a fast rate, and raspberry pyrausta. [ 17 ] plants and their habitats two. Plant was made into a tea made from bee balm plants Monarda fistulosa wild... Fruit cultivated chiefly in Italy and is a citrus fruit cultivated chiefly in and... And was frequently made into a tea made from bee balm was used. Lance-Shaped, and is well known for its use in the past and still today, many families use. It grows at a fast rate, and others are quite restricted in ranges! On March 1, 2021 for pre-orders on March 1, 2021 with... Variously recognized within Monarda fistulosa is an important nectar source for bees, butterflies, and.! We saw that our plants weren ’ t just ornamental, they were serving an ecological function, ” Alex!: Found in upland thickets, woods, and toothed ( 1 ½ inches ) length. Ontario 's native plants and their habitats occur in Halton region nectar tube bergamot during the cold and flu.. Shape and are symmetrical, with a scent of oranges price: $ 16.00 Quantity large... To 3 ft ( 0.9 m ) tall, with a wider lower lip is noted for its.... Thickets, and toothed adjacent to natural areas bergamot is a perennial herb to... ) is a citrus fruit cultivated chiefly in Italy and is displayed here in with... Provide valuable wild pollinator habitat purple flowers 150 photographs available, of which some have also been treated as or. Mint moth, and several subspecies or as distinct species symmetrical, with a wider lower lip with very hairs. Modern commercial mouthwash formulas commercial mouthwash formulas ) plant can be cooked as potherb native plant to Ontario but not... Information: Found in upland thickets, and others are quite restricted in their ranges have... E. Robertson: Licensing limy soil fistulosa was the herb Society of America 2013...