Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
Ragged lavender crowns that hum with bees, hummingbirds, and clearwing moths; foliage smells of oregano.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
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- Plant guide
- Scarlet Beebalm
Scarlet red
Perennial wildflower
Scarlet Beebalm
Monarda didyma
A hummingbird magnet with fireworks-red blooms for moist, rich soil at a woodland edge.
the Northeastthe Mid-Atlanticthe Southeastthe Midwest
Growing Scarlet Beebalm
Wants more moisture and richer soil than wild bergamot. Divide every few years to keep clumps vigorous and reduce mildew. It’s fragrant, showy, and long-blooming.
Where it grows
Scarlet Beebalm is native to the Northeast. In the wild you’ll find it across Alabama · Arkansas · Connecticut · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kentucky and 24 more states. Always confirm it suits your specific county with your state native plant society before planting.
Regional Garden shows Scarlet Beebalm on 34 state pages.
Good for
Sourcing
Where to buy Scarlet Beebalm
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.
Plant it with
Companions & kin.
Natives that share Scarlet Beebalm’s range and conditions.
Woodland Phlox
Phlox divaricata
A sweetly fragrant, low spreading phlox that carpets the spring woodland floor in blue.
- Part shade
- Average
- 10–15 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Common Boneset
Eupatorium perfoliatum
Frothy white heads alive with small native bees and wasps, for ground that stays damp.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Creeping Phlox
Phlox subulata
A sheet of spring color that spills over walls and stitches a dry, sunny slope together.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 4–8 in
- Blooms Apr–May