purple bergamot
Monarda media
USDA zones4 to 9
SunHandles full sun to partial sun
WaterHandles moderate to wet soil
Size2 to 3 feet tall12 to 24 inches wide
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Habit
- Herb
- Bloom season
- Summer
- Bloom color
- Pink
- Foliage color
- Gray/silver, green
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay, chalk
- Soil pH
- Acid, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Purple bergamot (Monarda media) is a perennial for borders, pollinator gardens, cottage gardens, and rain gardens. It is hardy to USDA zone 4, or down to -30°F (-34°C). This plant likes full or part sun and average to wet soil of most types. Pink flowers open from early to late summer and smell fragrant. Butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees visit the blooms. It sits low on the menu for deer and rabbits.
Pairs well with White turtlehead, Golden alexanders, and Jacob’s ladder.
Native range
AL, CT, DE, GA, and 18 more places. See all 22
AL, CT, DE, GA, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, TN, VA, VT, and WV.