The flowers are not only numerous, but, for the most part, bright; moreover, they begin to flower at midsummer and continue until the frosts set in.
The species under notice has bright scarlet flowers, produced when the plant is about 18in. high; it, however, grows to nearly twice that size, flowering all the while. The whorls of bloom issue from half-globular arrangements of buds and persistent calyces; each flower is an inch long; corolla ringent, or gaping; helmet, or upper division, linear; the seed organs are longer; the calyx tubular, having five minute teeth, being striped and grooved; the whole head, or whorl, is supported by a leafy bract, the leaflets being of a pale green colour, tinted with red. The leaves are ovate-cordate, or broadly lance-shaped, taper-pointed, toothed, rough, and slightly wrinkled, and they have short stalks. The stems are square, grooved, and hard. The whole plant exhales a powerful but pleasant odour. The habit is branching, that of the root progressive, not only increasing rapidly, but such parts on the surface may be termed creeping or prostrate branches, forming a veritable mat of fibre.
The whole genus is made up of such species as may be used freely in most gardens, more especially in those having plenty of space.
For culture and flowering period, see M. Russelliana.
Monarda Fistulosa.
Wild Bergamot; Syns. M. Affinis, M. Altissima, M. Media, M. Oblongata, M. Purpurea, and M. Rugosa; Nat. Ord. Labiatæ.
The Wild Bergamot has a pleasant smell; it has, however, the objectionable property of attracting great numbers of bees and wasps.
Compared with the scarlet M. didyma, the more striking differences are the purple flowers, which are less, and mostly produced in single heads. The bracts are tinted with purple, and they are more bent down the stems; the latter, too, are only half as thick and of a dark brown colour.
For culture and flowering period, see M. Russelliana.