Local Ecotype
Perennial
Part sun to full sun
Moist to dry soil
2-3' tall
Blooms early summer to fall
Wild Bergamot is a standout wildflower that deserves a spot in every garden, with crowns of tubular pink to lavender blooms and a refreshing minty-herbal fragrance. This pollinator favorite blooms in early to mid summer, feeding various bees, bee flies, butterflies, and moths, as well as hummingbirds. As its name suggests, Wild Bergamot leaves can be used in herbal tea, lending a complex mint-oregano flavor with citrusy and musky overtones. It is a host plant for several moths, but otherwise its foliage is rarely eaten due to its strong fragrance.
Wild Bergamot is fairly drought tolerant, but grows best in full to part sun conditions with moderate moisture. It may tolerate more shade and moisture, but is more susceptible to powdery mildew and leafy, top-heavy growth under these conditions. Wild Bergamot readily spreads through creeping rhizomes, forming dense clumps of plants. It generally reaches 2-3 ft tall.
Local Ecotype
Perennial
Part sun to full sun
Moist to dry soil
2-3' tall
Blooms early summer to fall
Wild Bergamot is a standout wildflower that deserves a spot in every garden, with crowns of tubular pink to lavender blooms and a refreshing minty-herbal fragrance. This pollinator favorite blooms in early to mid summer, feeding various bees, bee flies, butterflies, and moths, as well as hummingbirds. As its name suggests, Wild Bergamot leaves can be used in herbal tea, lending a complex mint-oregano flavor with citrusy and musky overtones. It is a host plant for several moths, but otherwise its foliage is rarely eaten due to its strong fragrance.
Wild Bergamot is fairly drought tolerant, but grows best in full to part sun conditions with moderate moisture. It may tolerate more shade and moisture, but is more susceptible to powdery mildew and leafy, top-heavy growth under these conditions. Wild Bergamot readily spreads through creeping rhizomes, forming dense clumps of plants. It generally reaches 2-3 ft tall.