Eastern beebalm

Description

Monarda bradburiana, the eastern beebalm or Bradbury's beebalm, is a species of perennial flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae, that is native to much of the southeastern United States. Monarda bradburiana is a herbaceous perennial plant, growing to a height of 1 to 2 ft (30 to 60 cm). The stems are scantily branched, square and usually hairless, although new growth sometimes has a few hairs along the angles. The leaves are opposite, about 3.5 in (9 cm) long and 2 in (5 cm) wide, ovate or broadly lanceolate, with toothed margins. The lower leaves have short petioles and the upper leaves are appressed against the stem. The upper surface of the leafblades are often pubescent, yellowish-green or green, sometimes with purple spotting or tingeing at the margin. The uppermost leaves form bracts subtending the blooms. The flowerheads are about 1.5 in (4 cm) wide, cone-shaped at first and flattening out later, with the central florets opening first. The calyx of each floret is tubular and hairy, with five pointed lobes. The florets are white or pink, curved, about 1 in (2.5 cm) long, with a narrow tube and upper lip and a slightly wider lower lip speckled with purple. The flowers usually bloom in late spring and early summer. The seed is a nutlet that can be dispersed by the wind, and the plant can also spread by vegetative growth from rhizomes. Monarda bradburiana is native to central and southeastern United States where it is found in the states of Alabama, Arizona, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas. Its typical habitat is thickets, woodland edges, grassland and roadsides. Monarda is a genus of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. The genus is endemic to North America. Common names include bergamot, bee balm, horsemint, oswego tea, the first inspired by the fragrance of the leaves, which is reminiscent of bergamot orange (Citrus bergamia). The genus was named for the Spanish botanist Nicolás Monardes, who wrote a book in 1574 describing plants of the New World.