White Bergamot - Monarda clinopodia

Phonetic: mo-NAR-da kly-no-POH-dee-ah

White Bergamot is a perennial that typically grows 3 to 6 feet tall and is characterized by square stems, aromatic leaves, and clusters of tubular white to pale pink flowers. White Bergamot thrives in partial sun to light shade and prefers moist, well-drained soils. It often grows naturally along woodland edges, stream banks, and moist meadows, where soil moisture remains consistent but not waterlogged. While it can tolerate dryer soils once established, it performs best in environments that mimic its native, moderately shaded and damp habitats.

Blooming from late June through August, its nectar-rich flowers attract a wide array of bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Long-tongued pollinators, such as  hummingbirds, are particularly drawn to White Bergamot’s tubular blooms. In late Summer White Bergamot produces small, dry nutlet fruits that persist into early fall.  These fruits provide minor food sources for small birds and insects while completing the plant’s reproductive cycle, ensuring its continued presence in the native landscape.

White Bergamot’s aromatic foliage deters deer and rabbits. Because it spreads slowly through rhizomes, White Bergamot can form gentle colonies that help prevent erosion without becoming invasive.

• Hardiness Zone: 5-8
• Sun Exposure: Full Sun, Part Sun, Part Shade 
• Native Region: BONAP Map
• BONAP Map Key Color Guide: Map Color Key
• Flower Color: White, Pink
• Bloom Time:  June, July, August, September 
• Soil Type: Medium - Moist
• Mature Plant Size: 3- 6'H 2-4'W
• Plant Spacing: 4'
• Host Plant: Hermit Sphinx Moth, Gray Marvel, 
• Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
• Advantages: Aromatic foliage, Deer and Rabbit Resistant, erosion control
• Landscape Uses: Pollinator garden, Butterfly garden, 
• Companion Plants: Black Eyed Susan, Rose Milkweed, Dense Blazing Star,