M. fistulosavar. stipitatoglandulosa (Waterf.) ined.
Monarda fistulosa, thewild bergamot orbee balm,[3] is awildflower in the mint familyLamiaceae, widespread and abundant as a native plant in much of North America.[4] This plant, with showy summer-blooming pink to lavender flowers, is often used as ahoney plant,medicinal plant, andgarden ornamental.[5] The species is quite variable, and several subspecies or varieties have been recognized within it. Despite its name, it has no relation to the 'true'bergamot, a citrus fruit.
Monarda fistulosa is anherbaceousperennial that grows from slender creepingrhizomes, thus commonly occurring in large clumps. The plants are typically up to 3 ft (0.91 m) tall, with a few erect branches. Its leaves are 2–3 in (5.1–7.6 cm) long, lance-shaped, and toothed. Its compact flower clusters are solitary at the ends of branches. Each cluster is about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) long, containing about 20–50 flowers. Wild bergamot often grows in rich soils in dry fields, thickets, and clearings, usually onlimy soil. The plants generally flower from June to September.[6]
The plant is noted for its fragrance, though the composition of its oils is quite variable. It can havethymol,geraniol,carvacrol,p-cymene,γ-terpinene,α-terpinene, andα-thujene in different amounts with the exact cause of this variability still being researched, though environmental and genetic factors probably both play a role.[8][9] At least one population in Colorado also containslinalool.[8]
Severalvarieties have been variously recognized withinMonarda fistulosa, of which some have also been treated assubspecies or as distinctspecies. Some of the varieties are geographically widespread, and others are quite restricted in their ranges. Varieties include:
Wild bergamot is considered a medicinal plant by many Native Americans. TheOneida call it "Number Six", in honor of it being "the sixth medicine given by the Creator";[22] other nations that use it include theMenominee, theOjibwe, and theWinnebago (Ho-Chunk). It is used most commonly to treatcolds, and is frequently made into atea. Today, many families still use wild bergamot during the cold andflu season. The tea may be sweetened withhoney, as it tends to be quite strong.[23]
The species ofMonarda that may go under the common name "bee balm," includingM. fistulosa, have a long history of use as a medicinal plant by Native Americans, including theBlackfoot. The Blackfoot recognized the plant's strongantiseptic action, and used poultices of the plant for skin infections and minorwounds.[citation needed] A tea made from the plant was also used to treat mouth and throat infections caused by dentalcaries andgingivitis.[citation needed] Bee balm is the natural source of the antiseptic thymol, the primary active ingredient in modern commercialmouthwash formulas. The Winnebago used a tea made from bee balm as a generalstimulant.[citation needed] Bee balm was also used as acarminative herb by Native Americans to treat excessiveflatulence.[24] Leaves were eaten boiled with meat and a concoction of the plant was made into hairpomade. The herb is considered an active diaphoretic (sweat inducer).[citation needed]
^This taxon is sometimes referred to asMonarda fistulosa subsp.brevis; however, as of September 2011, that nomenclatural combination has not yet been validly published.
^Kimball, R.T.; Crawford, D.J.; Page, J.R.; Harmon, P.J. (2001). "Inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) diversity within Monarda fistulosa var. brevis (Lamiaceae) and divergence between var. brevis and var. fistulosa in West Virginia".Brittonia.53 (4):511–518.Bibcode:2001Britt..53..511K.doi:10.1007/bf02809651.S2CID44055621.
^This taxon is sometimes referred to asMonarda fistulosa var.stipitatoglandulosa; however, as of September 2011, that nomenclatural combination has not yet been validly published. The synonymous nameMonarda stipitatoglandulosa is validly published.
^Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West, Gregory L. Tilford,ISBN0-87842-359-1
^Zamureenko, V. A.; Klyuev, N. A.; Bocharov, B. V.; Kabanov, V. S.; Zakharov, A. M. (Sep 1989). "An investigation of the component composition of the essential oil of Monarda fistulosa".Chemistry of Natural Compounds.25 (5):549–551.doi:10.1007/BF00598073.S2CID24267822.
