Practical
Plants

Monarda citriodora

Lemon Bergamot

an annual or perennial member of the Monarda genus in the family Labiatae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Labiatae
Genus
Monarda
Life cycle
annual, perennial
Height
0.6 m
Fertility
Self fertile, Bees
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Leaves - raw or cooked. They are used as a flavouring in salads and cooked foods[46, 105, 161, K] and also as a tea[2]. They have a pleasant lemon flavour[5].

Product or use
Condiment
Product or use
Tea
Plant part
Leaves

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

An essential oil in the leaves contains a phenol and a citral[7]. No more information is given, though the oil is likely to have medicinal activity and perhaps be suitable for perfumery etc[K]. The essential oil citronellal, used as an insect repellent and in perfumery, is obtained from this plant[6].

Product or use
Essential
Product or use
Repellent

Environment

Range
Central and Southern N. America to Mexico.
Habitat
Limestone barrens and slopes[8]. Prairies, savannahs and roadsides in Texas[6].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 6+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow mid to late spring in a cold frame. Germination usually takes place within 10 - 40 days at 20°c. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer. The seed can also be sown in situ in late summer in areas where the winters are not too severe and will produce larger plants. Cuttings of soft basal shoots in spring. Harvest the shoots with plenty of underground stem when they are about 8 - 10cm above the ground. Pot them up into individual pots and keep them in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer. Division in spring or autumn.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

An easily grown plant, succeeding in ordinary garden soil so long as it is not too dry[1]. Requires a moist soil and a sunny position[1][3]. Likes some shade. Prefers a sandy rather acidic soil[3]. This species is closely related to M. pectinata[4]. Said to be a perennial in some books and an annual in others, it has acted as an annual with us so far[K]. A good bee plant[3]. Subject to mildew in dry summers[3].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  2. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩

  3. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  4. Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970-00-00 ISBN 0-486-22642-5

    ↩

  5. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩

  6. Diggs, Jnr. G.M.; Lipscomb. B. L. & O'Kennon. R. J Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas Botanical Research Institute, Texas. 1999-00-00 http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/bio/gdiggs/NCTXpdf.htm

    ↩1↩2

  7. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩

  8. Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00

    ↩

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