Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)

NPS/Gordon Dietzman Prairie Home Introduction Bergamot has lavendar colored flowers and is common along roadsides in old fields and prairies. It may be found in most soil types, often at the edge of forests, but are also found in dry, mesic, or wet prairies. The plant grows to 2 or 3 feet. It is a member of the mint family and is distasteful to insects, although many species will nectar at its flowers. Native Americans found many medicinal uses for this plant, including as an antiseptic for skin infections and minor cuts and abrasions. Some drank it as a tea to cure headaches. Blooms: June through August Find It This attractive flower can be aggressive and form large stands. It is often in the seed mixes used on prairie and savanna restorations. Coldwater Spring Indian Mounds Regional Park Fort Snelling State Park Hidden Falls Regional Park Cenaiko Lake (East Coon Rapids Regional Park) Want to Help Us Better Understand the Park? See our iNaturalist project, "The Life of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area" and contribute to it by downloading the iNaturalist app and uploading your sightings of this species, and others, to the project. You can also upload your sightings from your computer.