Wild Bergamont

Fun Fact:

Wild Bergamot has been used to make teas, and was used in sweat baths to cure colds.

General Description:

Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) is a perennial herbaceous flower. It is robust, drought tolerant and a great pollinator option. Wild Bergamot is part of the mint family which you can identify by its square shaped stem. It generally grows 2-4 ft tall. The upright stems grow from a creeping root system. Wild Bergamot blooms densely in clusters from June to September. Leaves grow oppositely, are lance shaped, and give off a minty smell. Wild Bergamot thrives in full sun to light shade, and is adaptable to a variety of soils. This being said it does best in poor, and dry soils.

Uses:

• Landscaping
• Restoration
• Culinary and Medicinal
• Pollinator

Planting Conditions:

Wild Bergamot thrives in full sun, at least 6 hours a day, but it does tolerate partial shade. Though if planted in partial shade you will notice a decrease in blooms. Ideally Wild Bergamot prefers sandy, loamy or even clay soils as long as the soils drain well. Avoid heavy wet soils. It needs moderate watering but once it is established its more drought tolerant. It can tolerate both heat and cold temperatures.

The best time to plant is fall (late Oct-Nov depending on location). By planting late fall you will allow for natural stratification which does improve germination. Wild Bergamot can be planted in spring, cold stratification may be useful but not necessarily needed. You want to plant when soil temperatures are between 55-70 degrees.

Make sure to prepare the ground by removing any existing growth/weeds to decrease competition. When planting broadcast on the prepare soil and lighly press the seeds into the soil. The seeds do need light to germinate so don’t bury the seeds. Keep the soil consistently watered but not soggy till the plants are at least 3-4 inches tall. After they have reached about 4 inches tall you can reduce watering to encourage drought hardiness.

Establishment:

Wild Bergamot established fairly quickly. Wild Bergamot takes roughly 10-20 days to germinate under ideal conditions. The seedlings will grow slowly at first but once the roots have been well established growth will increase significantly. Expect to the first bloom in the second growth season as the first year Wild Bergamot takes to develop those good root systems. After the plant has been established it will form more clumps and become fairly persistent and long lived.

Seeding Rate:

Broadcast: .5 lbs / acre

0.25 oz / 1000 sq ft

**Don’t plant deeper than 1/4″ shallow planting is needed for best results.