Monarda

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Monarda
Monarda didyma 00.jpg
Monarda didyma
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Subfamily: Nepetoideae
Tribe: Mentheae
Genus: Monarda
L. [1]
Type species
Monarda fistulosa
L.
Synonyms [2]
  • CheilyctisBenth.
  • Cheilyctis(Raf.) Spach

Monarda is a genus of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. [3] The genus is endemic to North America. [2] [4] Common names include bergamot, bee balm, horsemint, and oswego tea, the first being inspired by the fragrance of the leaves, which is reminiscent of bergamot orange (Citrus bergamia). The genus was named for the Spanish botanist Nicolás Monardes, who wrote a book in 1574 describing plants of the New World.

Contents

Description

Monarda species include annual and perennial herbaceous plants. They grow erect to heights of 20–90 cm (8–35 in). The slender, serrated, lanceolate leaves are oppositely arranged on the square stem, hairless or sparsely hairy, and about 7–14 cm (2.8–5.5 in) long.

The flowers are tubular and bilaterally symmetric, with a narrow upper lip and a wider lower lip. The wild flowers are single, but some cultivated forms have double flowers. They are monoecious, with male and female structures in each flower. There are two stamens. Inflorescences occur at the top of the stem or emerge from the axils. They are typically crowded head-like clusters of flowers with leafy bracts. Flower color varies, with wild species bearing red, pink, and light purple flowers. M. didyma has bright carmine red flowers, M. fistulosa has pink, and M. citriodora and M. pectinata have pale purple. Hybrids occur in the wild, and they are common in cultivation. Seed collected from hybrids does not yield plants identical to the parent. [5] [6]

Uses

The crushed leaves of all species exude a spicy, fragrant essential oil. Of the species examined in one study, M. didyma contained the highest concentration of oil. [7]

Several species, including Monarda fistulosa and M. didyma , have a long history of use as medicinal plants by many Native Americans, such as the Blackfoot, Menominee, Ojibwa and Winnebago. The Blackfoot recognized the strong antiseptic action of the plants, and used them in poultices for skin infections and minor wounds. Native Americans and later settlers also used it to alleviate stomach and bronchial ailments. A tisane made from the plant was also used to treat mouth and throat infections caused by dental caries and gingivitis. Bee balm is a natural source of the antiseptic compound thymol, the primary active ingredient in some modern commercial mouthwash formulas. The Winnebago used a bee balm tisane as a general stimulant. Bee balm was also used as a carminative herb by Native Americans to prevent excessive flatulence. [8]

Although somewhat bitter due to the thymol content in the leaves and buds, the plant tastes like a mix of spearmint and peppermint with oregano. Bee balm was traditionally used by Native Americans as a seasoning for wild game, particularly birds. The plants are widespread across North America and can be found in moist meadows, hillsides, and forest clearings up to 5,000 feet (1,500 m) in elevation. [8]

Cultivation

Cultivar Monarda 'Panorama' Monarda 'Panorama' 02.JPG
Cultivar Monarda 'Panorama'

Monarda plants thrive in sun and moist but well-drained soil. Plants growing in partial shade spread horizontally and produce fewer flowers. Monarda are used in beds and borders to attract hummingbirds, pollinating insects, and insects that control garden pests. They are prone to developing powdery mildew in high humidity, especially if planted in a place without good air circulation. [9]

Hybrid cultivars range from dark red mahogany to bluish lilac to multiple shades of pink. These are generally not as robust as wild species. Some hybrids have been developed to produce high levels of essential oil for use as flavoring or medicine. [10]

Cultivars

The following cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit: [11]

  • 'Beauty of Cobham' [12] (pink)
  • 'Gardenview Scarlet' [13]
  • 'Marshall's Delight' [14] (pink)
  • 'Squaw' [15] (red)
  • 'Talud' [16] (pink)

The UK National Collection of Monardas is held at Glyn Bach Gardens at Pont Hywel, Efailwen, near Llandissilio in Pembrokeshire. [17]

Carole Whittaker of Glyn Bach Gardens was appointed International Cultivar Registration Authority for Mondarda in 2019, and currently recognises over 100 cultivars. [18]

Ecology

Wasp (Sphex flavovestitus) pollinating M. punctata Monarda pollination 2012.jpg
Wasp ( Sphex flavovestitus ) pollinating M. punctata

Monarda species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species, including case-bearers of the genus Coleophora . Coleophora monardae feeds only on Monarda plants, and C. heinrichella and C. monardella only feed on the species M. fistulosa.[ citation needed ]

Taxonomy

Monarda is in the tribe Mentheae of the subfamily Nepetoideae in the mint family. Molecular phylogenetic studies of this tribe have been poorly sampled, and relationships within it remain unclear. [19] The genera Blephilia and Pycnanthemum are close relatives of Monarda, but they might not be the closest. [6] Monarda is divided into two distinct subgenera, Monarda and Cheilyctis. [20] These are easily distinguished by several characteristics. [3]

Species

M. didyma seedhead Bee balm seedhead (70424).jpg
M. didyma seedhead

Species in the genus include:

Formerly placed here

Related Research Articles

<i>Canna</i> (plant) Genus of flowering plants in the family Cannaceae

Canna or canna lily is the only genus of flowering plants in the family Cannaceae, consisting of 10 species. All of the genus's species are native to the American tropics and naturalized in Europe, India and Africa in the 1860s. Although they grow native to the tropics, most cultivars have been developed in temperate climates and are easy to grow in most countries of the world, as long as they receive at least 6–8 hours average sunlight during the summer, and are moved to a warm location for the winter. See the Canna cultivar gallery for photographs of Canna cultivars.

Bergamot may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thymol</span> Chemical compound found in plants including thyme

Thymol, C10H14O, is a natural monoterpenoid phenol derivative of p-Cymene, isomeric with carvacrol, found in oil of thyme, and extracted from Thymus vulgaris, ajwain, and various other plants as a white crystalline substance of a pleasant aromatic odor and strong antiseptic properties. Thymol also provides the distinctive, strong flavor of the culinary herb thyme, also produced from T. vulgaris. Thymol is only slightly soluble in water at neutral pH, but it is extremely soluble in alcohols and other organic solvents. It is also soluble in strongly alkaline aqueous solutions due to deprotonation of the phenol. Its dissociation constant (pKa) is 10.59±0.10. Thymol absorbs maximum UV radiation at 274 nm.

<i>Monarda didyma</i> Aromatic ornamental herb, Lamiaceae

Monarda didyma, the crimson beebalm, scarlet beebalm, scarlet monarda, Eau-de-Cologne plant, Oswego tea, or bergamot, is an aromatic herb in the family Lamiaceae, native to eastern North America from Maine west to Ontario and Minnesota, and south to northern Georgia. Its odor is considered similar to that of the bergamot orange, which is used to flavor Earl Grey tea. The genus name comes from Nicolas Monardes, who described the first American flora in 1569.

<i>Mentha suaveolens</i> Species of flowering plant

Mentha suaveolens, the apple mint, pineapple mint, woolly mint or round-leafed mint, is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae. It is native to southern and western Europe including the Mediterranean region. It is a herbaceous, upright perennial plant that is most commonly grown as a culinary herb or for ground cover.

<i>Thymus serpyllum</i> Species of plant

Thymus serpyllum, known by the common names of Breckland thyme, Breckland wild thyme, wild thyme, creeping thyme, or elfin thyme, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae, native to most of Europe and North Africa. It is a low, usually prostrate subshrub growing to 2 cm (1 in) tall with creeping stems up to 10 cm (4 in) long. The oval evergreen leaves are 3–8 mm long. The strongly scented flowers are either lilac, pink-purple, magenta, or a rare white, all 4–6 mm long and produced in clusters. The hardy plant tolerates some pedestrian traffic and produces odors ranging from heavily herbal to lightly lemon, depending on the variety.

Bergamot mint may refer to either of two fragrant herbs in the mint family, Lamiaceae:

<i>Monarda citriodora</i> Species of flowering plant

Monarda citriodora is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae, that is native to the southern United States and northern Mexico. Common names include lemon beebalm, lemon mint and purple horsemint. When crushed, the leaves emit an odor reminiscent of lemons. This odor is sometimes described as more resembling oregano, especially late in the season. Its purple flowers are highly attractive to butterflies, bees and hummingbirds.

<i>Agastache</i> Genus of flowering plants

Agastache is a genus of aromatic flowering herbaceous perennial plants in the family Lamiaceae. It contains 22 species, mainly native to North America, one species native to eastern Asia. The common names of the species are a variety of fairly ambiguous and confusing "hyssops" and "mints"; as a whole the genus is known as giant hyssops or hummingbird mints.

<i>Thymus vulgaris</i> Species of flowering plant

Thymus vulgaris is a species of flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae, native to southern Europe from the western Mediterranean to southern Italy. Growing to 15–30 cm (6–12 in) tall by 40 cm (16 in) wide, it is a bushy, woody-based evergreen subshrub with small, highly aromatic, grey-green leaves and clusters of purple or pink flowers in early summer.

<i>Physostegia virginiana</i> Species of flowering plant

Physostegia virginiana, the obedient plant, obedience or false dragonhead, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is native to North America, where it is distributed from eastern Canada to northern Mexico. Physostegia are known commonly as obedient plants because a flower pushed to one side will often stay in that position. The name “false dragonhead” refers to the dragonheads of the related Dracocephalum, a genus to which the plant once belonged.

<i>Monarda fistulosa</i> Species of flowering plant

Monarda fistulosa, the wild bergamot or bee balm, is a wildflower in the mint family Lamiaceae, widespread and abundant as a native plant in much of North America. This plant, with showy summer-blooming pink to lavender flowers, is often used as a honey plant, medicinal plant, and garden ornamental. The species is quite variable, and several subspecies or varieties have been recognized within it.

<i>Blephilia</i> Genus of flowering plants

Blephilia, the pagoda plant or wood mint, is a genus of four species of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae. They are all herbaceous plants native to eastern North America. Blephilia are most often found in open areas, glades, and mesic forests. All species of Blephilia are considered threatened or endangered in some states.

<i>Coleus scutellarioides</i> Species of flowering plant

Coleus scutellarioides, commonly known as coleus, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, native to southeast Asia through to Australia. Typically growing to 60–75 cm (24–30 in) tall and wide, it is a bushy, woody-based evergreen perennial, widely grown for the highly decorative variegated leaves found in cultivated varieties. Another common name is painted nettle, reflecting its relationship to deadnettles, which are in the same family. The synonyms Coleus blumei, Plectranthus scutellarioides and Solenostemon scutellarioides are also widely used for this species.

<i>Monarda punctata</i> Species of flowering plant

Monarda punctata is a herbaceous plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae, that is native to eastern Canada, the eastern United States and northeastern Mexico. Common names include spotted beebalm and horsemint.

<i>Pycnanthemum</i> Genus of flowering plants

Pycnanthemum is a genus of herbaceous plants in the mint family (Lamiaceae). Species in this genus are often referred to as "mountain mints" and they often have a minty or thyme-like aroma when crushed. All species of Pycnanthemum are native to the United States and Canada. The center of diversity for the genus is North Carolina with 13 of the 20 species having been collected therein. Nineteen of the 20 species of Pycnanthemum occur in the Eastern US and Canada, and one disjunct species occurs in California and Oregon.

<i>Blephilia hirsuta</i> Species of flowering plant

Blephilia hirsuta, commonly known as hairy wood-mint or hairy pagoda plant, is a species of herbaceous perennial in the mint family Lamiaceae. It is native to eastern North America.

<i>Blephilia ciliata</i> Species of plant

Blephilia ciliata is a species of herbaceous perennial plant in the Lamiaceae (mint) family native to central and eastern North America. It is commonly called downy wood mint. Other common names include downy pagoda-plant, sunny woodmint and Ohio horsemint.

<i>Monarda clinopodia</i> Species of flowering plant

Monarda clinopodia, commonly known as white bergamot, basil bee balm or white bee balm, is a perennial wildflower in the mint family, Lamiaceae. This species is native to North America, ranging north from New York, west to Missouri, and south to Georgia and Alabama. M. clinopodia has also been introduced into Vermont and Massachusetts.

References

  1. "Genus: Monarda L." Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 2004-09-10. Archived from the original on 2012-05-31. Retrieved 2011-10-08.
  2. 1 2 "Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families" . Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  3. 1 2 Harley, R. M., et al. 2004. "Labiatae". pp 167-275 In: Kubitzki, K. (editor) and J. W. Kadereit (volume editor). The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants volume VII. Springer-Verlag: Berlin; Heidelberg, Germany. ISBN   978-3-540-40593-1
  4. "2013 BONAP North American Plant Atlas. TaxonMaps". bonap.net. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  5. Whitten, W. M. (Mar 1981), "Pollination ecology of Monarda didyma, M. clinopodia, and hybrids (Lamiaceae) in the Southern Appalachian Mountains", American Journal of Botany, 68 (3): 435–442, doi:10.2307/2442781, JSTOR   2442781
  6. 1 2 Prather, L. A.; et al. (2002), "Monophyly and phylogeny of Monarda (Lamiaceae): Evidence from the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of nuclear ribosomal DNA", Systematic Botany, 27 (1): 127–137, doi:10.1043/0363-6445-27.1.127 (inactive 31 January 2024){{citation}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of January 2024 (link)
  7. Spencer, E. R. (1974), All About Weeds, Courier Dover, p. 218, ISBN   0-486-23051-1
  8. 1 2 Tilford, G. L. Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West. ISBN   0-87842-359-1
  9. "Growing Bee Balm: How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Bee Balm". almanac.com. Retrieved 2020-08-09.
  10. Mazza, G.; et al. (1993), Janick, J. and J. E. Simon (ed.), "Monarda: A source of geraniol, linalool, thymol and carvacrol-rich essential oils", New Crops, Wiley, New York, pp. 628–631
  11. "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 65. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  12. "RHS Plant Selector - Monarda 'Beauty of Cobham'" . Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  13. "RHS Plant Selector - Monarda 'Gardenview Scarlet'" . Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  14. "RHS Plant Selector - Monarda 'Marshall's Delight'" . Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  15. "RHS Plant Selector - Monarda 'Squaw'" . Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  16. "RHS Plant Selector - Monarda 'Talud'" . Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  17. "Glynbachgardens". www.glynbachgardens.co.uk. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  18. Carole, Whittaker. "Monarda". Glyn Bach Gardens. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  19. Ryding, P. O. 2010. Pericarp structure and phylogeny of tribe Mentheae (Lamiaceae). Plant Systematics and Evolution 285(3-4), 165–75. doi : 10.1007/s00606-010-0270-9
  20. Scora, R. W. 1967. Interspecific relationships in the genus Monarda (Labiatae). University of California Publications in Botany 41(1), 1–71.
  21. Flora of China Vol. 17 Page 223 拟美国薄荷 ni mei guo bo he Monarda fistulosa Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1: 22. 1753.
Secondary sources