Origin: North America
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Monarda
Other Names: Bee Balm
Name Origin: The monarda was named for Nicolas Bautista Monardes, a Spanish botanist.
History: The Oswego Indian tribe used this plant to make an herbal tea and they taught the early American settlers how to do so as well. This just happened to come in very handy following the Boston Tea Party. As the settlers revolted against the British tax on tea, they drank tea made from Monarda instead, thus thumbing their noses at the British and their taxes.
Uses: Monarda is a genus that has a long history of being used as a medicinal herb. As the common name Bee Balm implies, it has also been used to soothe bee stings.
Species: Monarda punctata (Horsemint or Dotted Mint), Monarda fistulosa (wild Bergamot), Monarda didyma (Scarlet Bee Balm)
Issues: It has been a long road from these native 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: Mashall’s Delight, Gardenview Scarlet, Petite Delight
Did You Know?: As part of the mint family, monarda flowers and leaves add a citrusy note to salads.
Breeders: Territorial Seed Company, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, Urban Farmer, Botanical Interests, Pure Tree, Gurney’s Seed & Nursery Co, Brent and Becky’s, Harris Seeds, Breck’s, Burpee, True Leaf Market, Park Seed, Jung Seed, Garden Trends, American Meadows, West Coast Seeds, PW, Select Seeds
Source: National Garden Bureau
