Monarda fistulosa -- (Wild Bergamot)


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A native perennial with attractive pink to purplish flowers that may reach 4 feet in height.  Bee-balm or wild bergamot is most often viewed as a wildflower and actually sold as an ornamental.  Look for wild bergamot in rich soils at the bases of prairie hills and in coulees. The plant is noted for its fragrance, and is a source of oil of thyme.  Wild bergamot is a native perennial from slender creeping rhizomes and thus commonly occurs in large clumps.  This garden classic is also one of the best plants for the prairie meadow. 
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 Scientific Name:  Monarda fistulosa
 Common Name:  Wild Bergamot
 Duration of Life:  Perennial
 Bloom Color:  Violet, Red
 Soil Moisture:  Dry, Mesic, Wet
 Sun Requirements:  Full, Partial
 Plant Origin:  Native
 Soil Type prefered:  Loam, Clay
 Drought Tolerance:  None
 Flower Conspicuous:  Yes
 Soil Fertility Requirement:  Medium
 Moisture Use:  High
 Shade Tolerance:  Intermediate
 Growing Zone:  3
 Active Growth Period:  Spring
 Anaerobic Tolerance:  High
 Calcium Carbonate Tolerance:  Medium
 Bloom Period:  Summer
 Commercial Availability:  Routinely Available
 Competitivness:  Sensitive
 Cold Stratification Required:  No
 Best established via:  Seed, Plant
 Fall Conspicuous:  No
 Frost Free Days, Minimum:  150
 Foliage Color:  Gray-Green
 Fruit/Seed Abundance:  Medium
 Fruit/Seed Period Begin:  Summer
 Fruit/Seed Conspicuous:  No
 Fruit/Seed Period End:  Fall
 Fruit/Seed Color:  Brown
 Fruit/Seed Persistence:  No
 Fire Tolerance:  None
 Foliage Texture:  Medium
 Growth Form:  Single Stem
 Growth Habit:  Shrub, Subshrub
 Growth Rate:  Moderate
 Height, Mature (feet):  4.9
 Leaf Retention:  No
 Low Growing Grass:  No
 Life Span:  Moderate
 Max. Planting Density/Acre:  10912
 Min. Planting Density/Acre:  2728
 pH (Maximum):  8
 pH (Minimum):  6
 Precipitation (Minimum):  20
 Plant Spacing:  12 to 36 inches
 Resprout Ability:  No
 Root Depth, Min. (inches):  4
 Salt Tolerance:  None
 Shape and Orientation:  Erect
 Flowering Months:  July, August
 Small Grain:  No
 Seeds Per Ounce:  75,000
 Seed per Pound:  1272500
 Seed Spread Rate:  Slow
 Seedling Vigor:  Medium
 Temperature, Minimum (F):  -32
 Toxicity:  None
 Vegetative Spread Rate:  Slow
 Found in Old fields:  Yes
 Found in Virgin fields:  No
 RGR Bloom Begin:  07/15
 RGR Bloom Peak:  07/26
 RGR Bloom End:  08/10
 RGR Seed Collection Peak:  09/02
 RGR Seed Collection End:  09/20
 Propagation:  Container, Seed
 Palpable: (eatable)

 Where Found in S.E. MN:

 Pronounciation:  (mon-NAR-duh fist-you-LOW-suh)
 Category:  Dicot
 Division:  Magnoliophyta
 Class:  Magnoliopsida
 Order:  Lamiales
 Family:  Lamiaceae
 Genus:  Monarda

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