Growing Bergamot from seed indoors is best for the annual Monarda Hybrida “Lambada”. Wild bergamot can also be started indoors 8 to 10 weeks before planting out.
Is bergamot easy to grow?
Growing Conditions for Wild Bergamot
Wild bergamot is so easy to grow because it’s a member of the mint family, which is notorious for being so prolific it’s almost a pest if not controlled by the gardener.
Where does bergamot grow best?
Bergamot grows best in a moist, rich loam with a pH between 6 and 8, although loam soils may cause the plant to flop around during the growing season. Wild bergamot can actually tolerate almost any soil condition, from clay to rocky to nutritionally deficient soil, as long as it’s well drained.
Is bergamot hard to grow?
Bergamot Plant Propagation
Propagating Bergamot Plant is easy through seeds, stem cutting, and root division. However, getting a healthy cutting is an easier and most trustable option. Get a healthy and disease-free Bergamot plant and cut a stem below the plant node with a clean, sanitized shear.
How long does it take bergamot to grow?
Sow indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost, or direct sow in early spring when a light frost is still possible. Seeds can also be direct sown in the fall, as the first frost approaches. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 15-21°C (60-70°F). Seeds should sprout in 10-40 days.
Does bergamot come back every year?
Also referred to as Oswego tea, horsemint, and bergamot, it grows well in zones 3-9. Bee balm self sows in the garden and requires very little care year to year. Bee balm can die down completely to the ground during the cold season, but it will come back in the spring.
Are bergamot leaves edible?
The Whole Plant – As mentioned, the whole of the aerial (above ground) parts of wild bergamot are edible. This means you can cut the stalk and use the whole plant as a potherb. Don’t overdo it, because the plant is very aromatic. Leaves – The leaves are edible either raw or cooked.
Are bergamot and wild bergamot the same?
Wild bergamot is a beautiful plant that is edible and makes a reasonable tea, but it is not produced commercially for food. It appears to contain thymol, the characteristic essential oil of thyme (Thymus spp.) but not bergamot oil (link) suggesting the resemblance that gave it the name wild bergamot is superficial.
What can you do with bergamot leaves?
Bergamot’s young leaves can be used sparingly in salads, fruit dishes and fruit drinks. A delicious tea can be made with only 5 or 6 large, fresh leaves steeped in boiling water. Use the leaves and flowers to add color and scent to potpourri or use the gorgeous flowers in arrangements.
Is bee balm the same as bergamot?
Wild bergamot is one of several plants also known by the common name of bee balm. Wild bergamot attracts a number of specialist bees, bumble bees, predatory wasps, hummingbirds, and hawk moths.
Where does bergamot grow naturally?
Wild bergamot often grows in rich soils in dry fields, thickets, and clearings, usually on limy soil. The plants generally flower from June to September. Monarda fistulosa ranges from Quebec to the Northwest Territories and British Columbia, south to Georgia, Texas, Arizona, Idaho, and northeastern Washington.
How tall do bergamot grow?
Monarda fistulosa, commonly called wild bergamot, is a native perennial that occurs in dryish soils on prairies, dry rocky woods and glade margins, unplanted fields and along roads and railroads. It is a clump-forming, mint family member that grows typically to 2-4′ tall.
What does bergamot herb taste like?
The fruit looks more like a lemon or lime than an orange and has a very distinct scent and flavor. The taste is akin to a combination of lemon and bitter orange. According to Alan Davidson’s The Oxford Companion to Food (2nd ed.), unlike its other orange cousins, bergamot is too bitter to be eaten raw.
Can you propagate bergamot?
They can be propagated by division in spring or fall, by softwood cuttings in late spring, or seeds. Bright flowers and a minty fragrance make bergamot (Monarda) plants ideal for perennial borders. Bergamot is known by several other names, including bee balm, monarda, and Oswego tea.
What grows well with bergamot?
COMPANION PLANTS: There is a wide range of associates including yellow coneflower, prairie dock, stiff goldenrod, whorled milkweed, yarrow, flowering spurge, big bluestem, Culver’s root and turkscap lily.
What does the bergamot plant look like?
The bergamot plant has an open, branching habit. Each light-green stem leans somewhat at an angle and is topped with a group of flowers that together resemble ragged pompoms. The edible blooms are usually hues of purple or pink and have individual petals that are long and slender, with stamens longer than the petals.
Can you grow bergamot in pots?
Growing bergamot trees in pots is best, just as for all citrus, if ever it freezes in your area. You will need to bring it indoors in a greenhouse or lean-in, unheated, from October to May. Repot upon purchasing and then every 2 or 3 years in spring, with a blend of one part heath soil and three parts citrus soil mix.
Can you make tea with wild bergamot?
If you have monarda in your garden, you can make your own bee balm tea (also called wild bergamot, or oswego tea). What is this? This beneficial tea not only tastes great, but is good for helping fight off colds and the flu. So it’s especially nice to have on hand in the winter months!
Does bergamot have side effects?
Health Risks of Bergamot
Some people experience side effects like dizziness, muscle cramps, and heartburn when they take bergamot with food. Blood sugar issues. Bergamot may cause your blood sugar to drop. If you have diabetes, your blood sugar might reach unsafe levels.
How do you use bergamot medicinally?
Bergamot does have medicinal uses. It induces perspiration, lowers fevers, and through its carminative action, aids digestion. It has been used for colds, fevers, headaches, gastric disorders such as flatulence, nausea and vomiting. Externally, the fresh leaves are applied to pimples and other skin eruptions.
How do you use fresh bergamot?
In addition to being the star flavor of Earl Grey tea, the zest and flesh of the bergamot fruit are used in Europe as a flavoring in cookies, custards, marmalades, syrups, and cocktails. It is also mixed with mayonnaise or pesto and served as a condiment with fish or meat entrees.