Monarda

Bergamot or bee balm. Sun-loving plants with self-supporting square stems, bearing aromatic, pointed leaves. The upper half of the stems carry spaced clusters of hooded, tubular flowers, surrounded by pointed bracts which often add to the colour scheme. Flower heads picked at their best and dried, add both scent and colour to pot pourri. They do best in a humus enriched retentive soil, but may struggle in a dry atmosphere over summer.

Some of the most important flowering perennials in midsummer, especially attractive to bumblebees and honeybees, together with hummingbirds in the Americas. Despite the leaves being filled with pungent oils, they are eaten by a number of moth larvae.