Wild bergamot

Wild bergamot: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Upright clump about 1 m tall and 50 cm wide that slowly spreads by shallow runners.

Stem

Square, like all members of the mint family, and slightly hairy.

Leaves

Lance-shaped, 5–10 cm, grey-green and opposite; strongly aromatic, with a scent reminiscent of oregano and thyme.

Flower

Rounded heads about 4–5 cm across, packed with slender lilac tubular flowers above pale, sometimes pink-tinged bracts, from July to September.

Scent

All the foliage smells herby when you touch or pick it.

Roots

Shallow, creeping rhizomes; the centre of the clump dies out after a few years.

Flowering: July–September · Harvest and fruit: May–September · Sowing: March–April · Plants: March–May and September–October · Pruning: March

Why grow it?

• A magnet for bees, bumblebees and butterflies from July into September.
• Copes with drought better than red bergamot: suited to sunny, well-drained soil.
• The leaves smell spicy when you brush past them and can be used for tea and in cooking.
• Fits perfectly in a prairie-style or naturalistic border, among ornamental grasses and other late bloomers.
• The dark seed heads stay attractive through winter.

Wild bergamot: where does it grow best?

• Full sun for the best flowering and the least powdery mildew.
• Well-drained sandy or loamy soil, acid to chalky; poor soil is no problem.
• Dry to moderately moist. Once established it copes well with drought.
• An open, airy spot: good air circulation helps against mildew.
• Plant 45–50 cm apart, in groups of three or more.

Light

Sun

Soil type

Sand or loam

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Dry or normal

Size

1 m tall, 0.5 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -35 °C)

Goes well with

• Purple coneflower: Pink flowers and the same liking for sun and good drainage: together a prairie border.
• Ornamental grasses: Switchgrass or other prairie grasses add movement among the lilac heads.
• Giant hyssop: Another fragrant member of the mint family that draws bees and copes with drought.
• Black-eyed Susan: Golden-yellow flowers that contrast beautifully with the lilac.

Wild bergamot: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–May and September–October.

1. Plant in March–May or September–October.
2. Loosen the soil and dig a hole twice as wide as the pot; in heavy soil, mix in some coarse sand.
3. Set the plant at the same depth as it was in the pot and firm the soil.
4. Leave 45–50 cm between plants so that air can move freely.
5. Water well at planting and during dry spells in the first few weeks.
6. A thin layer of fine mulch keeps weeds down; keep it away from the stems.

Care

Watering

In dry spells in the first year; after that only in long droughts. Water at the base, not over the leaves.

Feeding

Hardly needed. A thin layer of compost in spring is enough; too much fertiliser makes it floppy and more prone to mildew.

Dividing

Every two or three years in spring, when the centre of the clump goes bare. Replant the young pieces from the edge.

Harvesting

Pick leaves and flowers just before or during flowering, on a dry morning. Use them fresh or dry them in bunches, for tea or as a herb with meat and vegetables.

Spent flowers

Leave the seed heads for winter interest, or cut them off if you do not want seedlings.

Tip: Space it generously, 45–50 cm apart, and divide it every two or three years: it stays young, flowers well and gives mildew less of a chance.

Wild bergamot: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March.

When: Leave the stems standing all winter and cut them down in March, before the new shoots appear.

How:

• Cut the old stems down to just above the ground.
• Take care of the young shoots, which may already be visible at the base.
• In summer, cut off faded heads if you want to stop it self-seeding.

Caution: Do not cut the stems down in autumn: the seed heads give structure in winter, and the hollow stems shelter insects.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Division

In March–April: lift the clump, discard the bare centre and replant pieces from the edge with a few shoots each.

Seed

Sow indoors in March–April. Scatter the fine seed on moist seed compost and cover it barely or not at all; at 18–20 °C it germinates in 2–3 weeks.

Cuttings

In May, take 5–8 cm cuttings from young shoots at the base and root them in moist cutting compost.

Wild bergamot: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −35 °C.

• Very hardy, to about −35 °C: no protection is needed in Belgium.
• Heavy, waterlogged soil in winter can rot the rhizomes; make sure drainage is good.
• Leave the stems until March for winter interest.
• In a pot: stand it against a wall, out of the worst of the rain.

Diseases and pests

• Powdery mildew: White powder on the leaves, especially in late summer and dry weather. Space plants well, water at the base in dry spells and remove badly affected leaves.
• Bare centre: After a few years the clump grows as a ring with an empty patch in the middle. Divide it and replant the young outer pieces.
• Slugs: They eat young shoots in spring. Pick them off in the evening or protect young plants.
• Flopping: In rich soil or shade the stems go soft. Plant in full sun and feed sparingly.

Through the year

• March: Cut down old stems. Plant, divide and sow indoors.
• April: Plant and divide. Sow indoors. Apply a thin layer of compost.
• May: Plant. Take cuttings. Watch for slugs.
• July: Flowering begins. Harvest leaves for tea.
• August: In full flower. Water in long dry spells. Watch for mildew.
• September: Last flowers. Plant.
• October: Plant. Leave the seed heads.
• December: Rest. The stems decorate the winter garden.

Edible and useful

Flowers (July–September)

The red, pink or purple whorls of flowers from July to September are edible: strip the tubular florets over salad, fruit or cakes, or make tea with them. They taste sweet and spicy.

Leaves (May–August)

Pick the leaves from May to August, ideally before flowering. They smell of bergamot (as in Earl Grey tea) with a hint of mint and thyme; in North America they were made into Oswego tea. The related Monarda fistulosa tastes spicier, more like oregano, and can also be used as a kitchen herb.

Storing

Dry leaves and flowers in small bunches or loose on a rack, somewhere airy and dark. Keep them in a closed jar in the dark for up to a year.

Caution: As a tea or decoration in normal amounts, bee balm is safe; during pregnancy do not drink large amounts. In dry summers the leaves often get powdery mildew: then only pick healthy leaves.

Eating and using is at your own risk: see the terms of use.

Recipes

• Oswego tea (Tea · 1 teapot (± 750 ml) · 10 min)
• Summer fruit with bee balm flowers and honey (Dish · 4 people · 15 min)

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Butterflies

Nectar for butterflies.

Did you know?

• The leaves contain some of the same aromatic compounds as thyme and oregano, which is why they smell and taste like them.
• The genus is named after the Spanish physician and botanist Nicolás Monardes, who wrote about plants from the Americas in the 16th century.
• The name bergamot comes from the scent of some species’ leaves, which recalls the bergamot orange; wild bergamot smells more of oregano.