Herb & Spice Companion

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HERB & SPICE COMPANION

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BERGAMOT

Monarda didyma or

Monarda fistulosa

Other common name: bee balm

Flavors: warm, spicy citrus

Bergamot grows stunning, fragrant flowers that range in color from bright red to

magenta to soft lilac. It’s a favorite of hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies, an added

bonus in summertime for many gardeners. Also called “bee balm” for its traditional

use soothing bee stings, the herb goes

by various other names, including scarlet

bee balm, horsemint, and Oswego tea.

Leaves and flowers have been used

for centuries to make delicious teas, dat-

ing back to northern Native Americans,

who introduced their beloved citrus-spice

tea to English colonists in the seven-

teenth and eighteenth centuries. Use

bergamot in fruit jams, fresh fruit and

veggie salads, refreshing summer bever-

ages, and citrus-tinged dips, sauces, and

salsas. Dried bergamot makes a wonder-

ful potpourri.

In the Garden

Bergamot, like most mints, is a perennial that tends to spread aggressively. To control

spreading and keep roots from tangling, divide every few years in spring. You can also

grow bergamot in a container to control its size.

Size: 1 to 4 feet tall and up to 3 feet wide

Container: Any size; transplant to larger containers as it grows

Light: Full sun to partial shade

HEALTH BENEFITS

Bergamot tea (also known as Oswego

tea) has been used for centuries by

various Native American tribes to

relieve stomach trouble, nausea,

gas, coughs, sore throat, and fever.

Applied topically, this antiseptic herb

can treat skin inflammations including

bug bites and stings, rashes, and even

pimples, and has been known to ease

the pain of headaches and arthritis.

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