Mintleaf Bee Balm (Monarda fistulosa) - Grow Monarda Fistulosa seeds for this attractive and useful perennial herb plant. Also known as Wild Bergamot this perennial is an upright growing plant which spreads out. It has a lovely lavender blossom and distinctively aromatic foliage. Its sweet nectar is a favorite of butterflies, bees and hummingbirds. Mint Leaf Bee Balm is native to eastern North America and the plains.
Monarda Fistulosa Bergamot can grow in average soil. Full sun is best, but light shade is tolerated. Mintleaf Bee Balm plants tend to spread more quickly in the shade. Most Monarda herbs multiply rapidly either by underground stems or freely sowing their own flower seed. In order to keep plants healthy and vigorous, they should be divided at least every three years in the spring. To prevent this fungus from appearing, large clumps should be thinned out so that the air circulates freely around them. The soil should also be kept consistently moist; dry soil promotes powdery mildew.

SOWING:
Season: Perennial
Height: 90 cm (30 - 60 inches)
Bloom Season: Summer
Bloom Color: Lavender
Environment: Full sun to partial shade
Soil Type: Well-drained, pH 6.6 - 7.8
Germ temperature: 20C (68F)
Depth: Seeds must be covered thinly, no more than the thickness of the seed
Moisture: Keep seed moist until germination
Plant Spacing: 60 cm (20 - 30 inches)

Wild Bergamot: Sow Mintleaf Bee Balm seeds in small pots in late winter. Apply a starter fertilizer solution for the seedlings. Water when the soil surface is dry to the touch. Pinch off the tops of the plants several times during the growing season to encourage branching and a bushier grow habit. When the roots fill the container (about 2 months) they are ready for planting in the garden. Plant the Wild Bergamot seedlings in a sunny, weed-free, well-drained soil, 50 - 70 cm (20 - 30 inches) a part. Water, if there are no rains.