Wild Bergamot

Bee Balm

Wild Bergamot are a member of the Mint family. Their pinkish-lavender flowers look like ragged pompoms at the top of 2-5 ft stems. They flower from June to September in dryer areas, on waste lands, and woodland borders throughout most of the United States and Canada.

Wild Bergamot send up multiple leafy stems in a tight cluster, giving the plants a bushy appearance. The stems are square and gray-green. The hairy leaves have jagged edges and are 1-3 in long.

Wild Bergamot are a favorite of bees and butterflies, but herbivores usually avoid them as the oregano-mint flavored leaves can cause indigestion.

Did you know? The Indigenous peoples of North America had many medicinal uses for Wild Bergamot, from curing headaches to relieving the symptoms of colds and fevers.

Forests are large areas of trees growing close together.

Grasslands are large open areas covered with grasses. They have very few trees or shrubs. This habitat includes prairies and tundra.