# wild bergamot

*Monarda fistulosa*

The plant contains thymol, the same antiseptic found in modern mouthwash, giving it a spicy, oregano-like scent.

- **Taxonomy:** Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Lamiales › Lamiaceae › Monarda
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** grassland
- **Habitat:** Dry thickets, clearings, and tallgrass prairies.
- **Diet:** Photosynthetic (sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide).
- **Range:** North America, Southern Canada, United States, Northern Mexico
- **Size:** 60 to 120 cm (2 to 4 feet) in height.
- **Lifespan:** Perennial (living for many years via underground rhizomes).
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Habitat fragmentation, land development, and competition from invasive plant species.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless and fragrant. You can safely observe or smell the flowers. If you have a known allergy to the Lamiaceae (mint) family, avoid handling. Do not harvest in protected areas; ensure sustainable practices on private land.

## About

Monarda fistulosa , the wild bergamot or bee balm , 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.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/6b3f5b68-43f6-4086-b7ef-1266af22b80f
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/85320
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarda fistulosa
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/232168957/medium.jpg (tzeducation, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.