Bergamot in flower

Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) is one of the more common prairie plants and embarrassingly easy to grow. It is also a species that hangs on well in degraded prairies and rebounds quickly once the brush has been removed. This doesn't mean that it isn't a nice plant. Right now it is in full bloom.

Another common name for bergamot is bee balm, and the bees do love it. It is in the mint family.

When we first started restoration work at Pleasant Valley Conservancy, we sometimes had excessive amounts of bergamot showing up the first growing season after an area was cleared. However, our worry that it might "take over" was unneeded, because it soon settled down to only a nice amount.