Wild bergamot
A lilac-flowered bee balm of North American prairies; its long corolla mainly benefits bumblebees and wild bees, giving honey bees only modest nectar.
- Nectar
- Medium
- Pollen
- Low
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Height
- 0,6-1,2 m
- Life cycle
- Perennial
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A perennial with a thyme-like scent from the prairies, woodland edges and dry meadows of North America; in Europe it is grown as an ornamental and aromatic plant. The tube of its lilac-pink flowers is long, so most of the nectar is left to bumblebees, long-tongued wild bees and butterflies. Honey bees take some nectar on hot days when the nectar level rises, and through holes made by bumblebees.
Flowering
It flowers for 4-6 weeks from July to August. It is fairly tolerant of dry, limy soils; in hot, humid weather powdery mildew is common on the leaves.
Honey and pollen
There is no monofloral honey; its contribution to honey production is limited.
Note for the beekeeper
Sowing it on its own for honey bees is not recommended. It is valuable in bee gardens that support wild pollinators; for honey bees, Agastache foeniculum or Hyssopus officinalis, which flower at the same time, are more productive choices.