Monarda didyma
Bergamot
a perennial member of the Monarda genus in the family Labiatae.
Taxonomy and growth
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Leaves and young shoot tips - raw or cooked. They are used as a flavouring in salads, fruit salads, drinks etc[17][19][2][4]. Flowers - raw. They are added as an attractive garnish to salads[4][12][13]. An excellent aromatic tea is made from the fresh or dried leaves and flower heads[8][17][2][4]. The leaves give an Earl Grey flavour to China tea[12].
- Product or use
- Condiment
- Product or use
- Tea
- Plant part
- Flowers
- Plant part
- Leaves
Medicinal uses
Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Bergamot is often used as a domestic medicine, being particularly useful in the treatment of digestive disorders. The leaves and flowering stems are anthelmintic, carminative, diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge, rubefacient and stimulant[15][9]. An infusion is used in the treatment of flatulent colic and sickness, it is also used as a diuretic to treat urinary disorders[15][12]. The leaves can be harvested before the plant flowers, or they can be harvested with the flowering stems. They can be used fresh or dried[12]. An essential oil from the herb is mainly used externally as a rubefacient in the treatment of rheumatism etc[15].
- Product or use
- Anthelmintic
- Product or use
- Carminative
- Product or use
- Diuretic
- Product or use
- Expectorant
- Product or use
- Febrifuge
- Product or use
- Rubefacient
- Product or use
- Stimulant
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Yields an essential oil, used in perfumery, as a hair tonic etc[17][19]. The dried leaves and flowers are used to scent and add colour to pot-pourri[12].
- Product or use
- Essential
- Product or use
- Pot-pourri
Environment
- Range
- Eastern N. America - New York to Michigan, south to Georgia and Tennessee.
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 4+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay, heavy 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. Very easy, large divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Easily grown in ordinary garden soil so long as it is not too dry[1][7]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Requires a moist soil and a sunny position[15][7]. Prefers some shade[15] but succeeds in a sunny position so long as the soil does not dry out. Plants are hardy to at least -25°c[5]. The flowers are rich in nectar and are very attractive to bees[15][18][13]. A good companion plant, it grows well with tomatoes[3][6]. Bergamot is a very ornamental and aromatic plant, it is often grown in the herb garden, there are some named varieties[4][10]. The leaves, stems and roots carry a delicious aromatic orange-like perfume when crushed[14]. Plants are subject to mildew in dry summers[7].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00
Holtom. J. and Hylton. W. Complete Guide to Herbs. Rodale Press 1979-00-00 ISBN 0-87857-262-7
Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30936-9
Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening. Garden Way, Vermont, USA. 1978-00-00 ISBN 0-88266-064-0
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2
Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225
Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0 460 86048 8
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
Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
Phillips. R. & Foy. N. Herbs Pan Books Ltd. London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30725-8
Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00
Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00
Harris. B. C. Eat the Weeds. Pivot Health 1973-00-00
Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202