Bee Balm

“Monarda citriodora, commonly called lemon mint, lemon beebalm, lemon horsemint, purple horsemint or lemon bergamot, is a hardy annual (sometimes biennial) that is typically found in rocky or sandy prairies, pastures and roadsides from South Carolina and Florida west to Missouri, Texas and Mexico. In Missouri, it primarily occurs in limestone glades, dry limestone ledges, bald knobs and rocky prairies in certain counties south of the Missouri River (Steyermark). It grows 12-30” tall. Tubular, scented, two-lipped, light lavender to pink to white flowers bloom in dense, globular, head-like clusters (verticillasters or false whorls) from spring to mid-summer (May-August in St. Louis). Flower clusters appear on stiff square stems clad with narrow lanceolate to oblong, awn-tipped, serrate leaves (to 2.5” long). Upper stem leaves may be in whorls. Each flower stem typically has 2 to 6 interrupted flower clusters, with each cluster being subtended by white to pink-lavender bracts. Flowers are attractive to bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, particularly when massed. Leaves have a distinctive lemony aroma when rubbed. Some monardas are commonly called beebalm in reference to a prior use of the leaves as a balm for bee stings.

“Genus name honors Nicholas Monardes (1493-1588), physician and botanist of Seville.

“Specific epithet comes from Latin and means having a citrus aroma.” (MBG)