The Lady Slipper newsletter of the Kentucky Native Plant Society has been published since the Society’s founding in 1986. We occasionally feature an article from a past issue. This one, about one of Kentucky’s loveliest natives, the Wild Bergamot, first appeared in the summer of 2001, Vol. 16, No. 2. If you would like to see other past issues, visit the Lady Slipper Archives, where all issues from Vol. 1, No. 1, February 1986 to Vol. 34, No. 1, Winter/Spring 2019 (after which we moved to this blog format) can be found.
The author, Mary Carol Cooper, left a huge legacy to the native plant community when she passed in 2016. In almost every native plant gathering, her name is mentioned and a moment is given over to appreciate her knowledge, which she freely shared. Her passion led many of us to our love of natives; she was a mentor and friend to many of us.
Wild Bergamot – 2001 Wildflower of the Year
by Mary Carol Cooper, Native Plant Program Coordinator, Salato Wildlife Education Center
Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) has been selected as the Salato Wildlife Education Center’s Wildflower of the year 2001 by wildflower enthusiasts from all across the state. The Wildflower of the Year is chosen based on the number of nominations it receives and how well it fits the established criteria (must be native, common and widespread across the state, seeds must be readily available, must be easy to grow, and must have wildlife value).
Wild Bergamot is common in old fields, thickets, prairies, and borders thoughout the state. It is a member of the mint family and has spicy-aromatic leaves that are opposite and ovate-lanceolate on a square stem. It has slender two-lipped corollas about one inch long densely aggregated in terminal clusters subtended by conspicuous bracts. The corolla is a pale lavender. Wild Bergamot ranges in height from three to five feet tall depending on the habitat. It is a short-lived perennial that rapidly forms colonies in both moist and dry soil. It is very versatile, as it will tolerate clay soils and drought and will grow in full or partial sun.
Wild Bergamot is a premiere nectar source for butterflies, moths, and hummingbirds. Indigo buntings are known to build their nests in the stems of this plant. It blooms from June through August, providing food and shelter all summer long.
Historically, physicians used leaf tea to expel worms and gas. The Native Americans used the leaf tea for colic, flatulence, colds, fevers, stomachaches, nosebleeds, insomnia, heart trouble; in measles to induce sweating, and poulticed leaves were used for headaches. The pioneers made a lotion of boiled leaves for treating pimples and skin eruptions. Today, Wild Bergamot is still used for headaches and fever and it makes a great tea. Its flavor is similar to true bergamot, the oil of a Mediterranean citrus fruit that flavors Earl Gray Tea. It is also excellent cut for fresh bouquets.
Wild Bergamot seeds and plants are available from many native plant nurseries and are fairly inexpensive. It is also very easy to propagate either by seeds, cuttings, or division. Seeds sown in January should be kept moist and cold (40° F) for 90 days to cause germination. Since the seedlings are tiny and slow growing, they should remain in the flat for 6–7 weeks after germination before being transplanted. To propagate by cutting, take stem tip cuttings, 3–4 inches long, any time from May to August. Remove the lower leaves and all flower or seed heads, dip cutting in rooting powder and insert at least one node into a sand and perlite rooting medium. Place cuttings in an enclosed chamber and mist them several times a day. In 4–5 weeks, cuttings are well rooted and can be transferred to the garden in the early fall. To propagate by division, divide mature clumps in March before they send up stems. Dig up the plant and using a pair of pruning shears or a sharp shovel, cut the clump into sections. Replant and water the division immediately.