Monarda didyma L.

Bergamot

Perennial herb to 1 m or more tall, hairy at first; stems sharply 4-angled in section. Leaves more or less ovate, to about 12 cm long, 6 cm wide, hairy below, margin saw-toothed. Flower clusters terminal in dense whorled heads. Flowers with corolla to about 5 cm long, tube 2-3 cm; summer.

N America

Bergamot has a range of flower colour variants:

 

The annual M. citriodora Lagasca is a generally smaller plant with white or pale creamy flowers.

M. fistulosa L. is also occasionally offered.

Source: Spencer, R.; Holmes, R.; McNaughton, V. (2002). Lavandula. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 4. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 3. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.

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Distribution map

Monarda didyma 'Alba'

Flowers white.

kingdom Plantae
phylum   Tracheophyta
class    Magnoliopsida
superorder     Asteranae
order      Lamiales
family       Lamiaceae
genus        Monarda L.