Monarda fistulosa var. mollis

Native

Dry, moderate moisture, or wet. Prairies, fields, upland woods, thickets. Full to partial sun.

July to September

Pale lavender, pale purple, or pink

2′ to 4′

This is a 2′ to 4′ tall, erect perennial that rises in a tight cluster of multiple stems from slender, creeping rhizomes. It often forms large clumps.

The stems are square, leafy, and hairy near the top with downward-curved hairs. They branch frequently in the upper half. The branches are paired and are more or less equal.

The leaves are opposite, 2″ to 3″ long, lance-shaped with a rounded base, and toothed. The balde gradually tapers to a sharp point with more or less concave sides near the tip. The upper surface is hairless or sparsely hairy. The lower surface is minutely hairy, at least on the midrib and veins. The leaves have an oregano scent. They attach to the stem on a on purple, hairy, leaf stalk. The leaf stalk is over ⅛″ long at the shortest, and is commonly over ⅜″ long.

The inflorescence is a solitary, head-like cluster of 20 to 50 flowers at the end of major stems and some branches. Bracts below the flower head are whorled, lance-shaped, green to whitish, and bend downward at their tips.

The flower head with flowers is 1″ to 3″ in diameter and rounded. Without the individual flowers it is ⅓″ to 1⅓″ wide. The flowers are fragrant.

The individual flowers are ½″ to 1¼″ long. They have 5 pale lavender, pale purple, or pink petals that are fused along half of their length into a floral tube. The tube separates into two lobes, an upper and lower lip. The upper lip folds around the stamens and style. It is erect, hairy, becoming curved with age, and has longer hairs at the tip. The lower lip is broad with a linear lobe at the end. The linear lobe is notched at the tip.

The fruit is 4 smooth, brown to black nutlets.

Mint-leaved bergamot (Monarda fistulosa var. menthifolia) is a western variety. It is shorter and less branched. The longest leaf stalk is less than ⅜″ long. It often has just a single flower head.

Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa var. fistulosa) stems have hairs that spread outward rather than curve downward. The lower leaf surface has long, straight hairs.

Sources: 7.