- Description:
Toothed leaves are opposite on square upright stems. Lilac to rose-purple tubular
flowers radiate from terminal heads that are surrounded by leafy bracts.
- Comments:
Wild Bergamot Bee-balm is dotted with glands that secrete aromatic oils. The citrusy
fragrance is similar to that of bergamot oranges. Leaves make a pleasing but
strong-tasting tea. Bumble bees, honey bees, hummingbird moths and butterflies are drawn
to nectar found at the base of the flower tube. Recorded medicinal uses include relief
from fever, sore throat, bronchitis, fungal infections and hookworms. Wild Bergamot
Bee-balm grows along rocky ledges in open prairie in the eastern two-thirds of Kansas.
Some species are cultivated as ornamentals.
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