b'YEARMONARDAOF THE ORIGIN: NorthHISTORY: The Oswego Indian tribe used this plant to America make an herbal tea and they taught the early American settlers how to do so as well. This just happened to FAMILY:come in very handy following the Boston Tea Party. As Lamiaceae the settlers revolted against the British tax on tea, they drank tea made from Monarda instead, thus thumbing GENUS: Monarda their noses at the British and their taxes.OTHER NAMES:USES: Monarda is a genus that has a long history of Bee Balm being used as a medicinal herb. As the common name Bee Balm implies, it has also been used to soothe bee NAME ORIGIN:stings.The monarda was namedSPECIES: Monarda punctata (Horsemint or Dotted Mint), for NicolasMonarda fistulosa (wild Bergamot), Monarda didyma Bautista(Scarlet Bee Balm)Monardes, a SpanishISSUES: It has been a long road from these native botanist.species of Monarda to the prized ornamental cultivars available today. Some of the first hybrids of M. didyma x M. fistulosa produced vibrant flower colors with a more well-behaved plant, but they continued to be plagued by their native attributes of being highly susceptible to mildew, somewhat tall and leggy and had a tendency to spread by rhizomes.POPULAR VARIETIES: Mashalls Delight, Gardenview Scarlet, Petite DelightDID YOU KNOW?: As part of the mint family, monarda flowers and leaves add a citrusy note to salads. BREEDERS: Territorial Seed Company, Johnnys Selected Seeds, Urban Farmer, Botanical Interests, Pure Tree, Gurneys Seed & Nursery Co, Brent and Beckys, Harris Seeds, Brecks, Burpee, True Leaf Market, Park Seed, Jung Seed, Garden Trends, American Meadows, West Coast Seeds, PW, Select SeedsSource: National Garden Bureau48/ SEEDWORLD.COMFEBRUARY 2021'