Bee-loved native wildflower is popping up everywhere right now
iNaturalist Community
Native Plants
If you've got a patch of purple, shaggy-flowered blooms buzzing with bees and hummingbird moths along a roadside or meadow edge this week, there's a good chance it's wild bergamot hitting peak bloom right in your area.
Wild bergamot is a native wildflower in the mint family, known for its shaggy lavender-pink flowers that pollinators love. Right now it's one of the most-spotted plants on iNaturalist, with over a thousand people logging confirmed sightings in a single week, which usually means it's in full, showy bloom across a wide stretch of the country.
Key Findings
1,045 research-grade observations of wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) logged in one week
The species ranks among the top trending plants on iNaturalist for the current period
High observation volume signals a widespread, synchronized bloom event across the plant's range
chevron_right Technical Summary
Wild bergamot, a native mint-family wildflower loved by bees and butterflies, is having a big week on iNaturalist with over a thousand sightings logged by everyday observers.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Trending: wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) — 1045 observations this week
wild bergamot is among the most observed plant species this week with 1045 research-grade observations.
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
Species Mentioned
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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 ornament...