Wild bergamot

''Monarda fistulosa'', the wild bergamot or bee balm,Wild Bergamot
, Edmonton Naturalization Group is a wildflower in the mint family Lamiaceae, widespread and abundant as a native plant in much of North America. This plant, with showy summer-blooming pink to lavender flowers, is often used as a honey plant, medicinal plant, and garden ornamental. The species is quite variable, and several subspecies or varieties have been recognized within it.

Description and distribution

''Monarda fistulosa'' is an herbaceous perennial that grows from slender creeping rhizomes, thus commonly occurring in large clumps. The plants are typically up to tall, with a few erect branches. Its leaves are long, lance-shaped, and toothed. Its compact flower clusters are solitary at the ends of branches. Each cluster is about long, containing about 20–50 flowers. Wild bergamot often grows in rich soils in dry fields, thickets, and clearings, usually on limy soil. The plants generally flower from June to September.

''Monarda fistulosa'' ranges from Quebec to the Northwest Territories and British Columbia, south to Georgia, Texas, Arizona, Idaho, and northeastern Washington. The Latin specific epithet ''fistulosa'' means hollow like a pipe.

The plant is noted for its fragrance, and is a source of oil of thyme.

Taxonomy

Several varieties have been variously recognized within ''Monarda fistulosa'', of which some have also been treated as subspecies or as distinct species. Some of the varieties are geographically widespread, and others are quite restricted in their ranges. Varieties include:
* ''Monarda fistulosa'' var. ''brevis'' – Smoke Hole bergamot (Virginia and West Virginia)
* ''Monarda fistulosa'' var. ''fistulosa'' – wild bergamot (widespread, primarily eastern and central North America)
* ''Monarda fistulosa'' var. ''longipetiolata'' – (Ontario and Quebec)
* ''Monarda fistulosa'' var. ''maheuxii'' – (Ontario)
* ''Monarda fistulosa'' var. ''menthifolia'' – (widespread, western North America, excluding Oregon and California)
* ''Monarda fistulosa'' var. ''mollis'' – (widespread, primarily eastern and central North America)
* ''Monarda fistulosa'' var. ''rubra'' – (eastern North America, uncommon)
* ''Monarda fistulosa'', unnamed variety – (Arkansas and Oklahoma)

One authority states that Native Americans recognized four kinds of wild bergamot that had different odors (Wood, 1997).

Conservation status in the United States

It is listed as historical in Rhode Island.

As a weed

It is listed as weed in Nebraska.

Uses

Wild bergamot is considered a medicinal plant by many Native Americans. The Oneida call it "Number Six", in honor of it being "the sixth medicine given by the Creator";Restoring wildlife habitat and traditional plants with the Oneida Nation
at the United States Fish and Wildlife Service; published January 10, 2018; updated December 20, 2019; retrieved July 20, 2021 other nations that use it include the Menominee, the Ojibwe, and the Winnebago (Ho-Chunk). It is used most commonly to treat colds, and is frequently made into a tea. Today, many families still use wild bergamot during the cold and flu season. The tea may be sweetened with honey, as it tends to be quite strong.

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. The Blackfoot recognized the plant's strong antiseptic action, and used poultices of the plant for skin infections and minor wounds. A tea made from the plant was also used to treat mouth and throat infections caused by dental caries and gingivitis. Bee balm is the natural source of the antiseptic thymol, the primary active ingredient in modern commercial mouthwash formulas. The Winnebago used a tea made from bee balm as a general stimulant. Bee balm was also used as a carminative herb by Native Americans to treat excessive flatulence. Leaves were eaten boiled with meat and a concoction of the plant was made into hair pomade. The herb is considered an active diaphoretic (sweat inducer).

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%).

''M. fistulosa'' distillate has been proposed as an antimicrobial agent in laboratory settings, specifically as an agent in artificial media used for growth of tachinid fly larvae.

Ecology

As a honey plant, it is popular with a variety of pollinators, including bees, hummingbirds, and lepidoptera. It is a larval host to the hermit sphinx, orange mint moth, and raspberry pyrausta.The Xerces Society (2016), ''Gardening for Butterflies: How You Can Attract and Protect Beautiful, Beneficial Insects'', Timber Press.

See also

* List of honey plants

Notes

References

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External links

*

Edibility of Monarda fistulosa
Visual identification and edible parts of Monarda fistulosa
*

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1521039

fistulosa
Flora of North America
Medicinal plants
Garden plants
Plants described in 1753
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus
Butterfly food plants