06/19/2026
We have lots of bee balm blooming at Flycatcher!! And so many🐝 bumblebees🐝 are enjoying the blooms!
Happy Friday! Bee Balm (Monarda fistulosa), also known as Wild Bergamot, is our today. Bee Balm’s soft, pink to lavender blooms are readily visible in sunny habitats across Arkansas.
The plant’s tufted, almost pompom-like flower heads are rich in nectar and especially valuable to native summer-time pollinators, including bees, hummingbirds as well as butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera). It flowers from May through September, typically supporting pollinators for a long summer season.
As a member of the Mint (Lamiaceae) family, Bee Balm is known for its aromatic leaves, which have traditionally been used for teas and medicinal remedies. The genus Monarda honors 16th century Spanish physician and botanist Nicolás Bautista Monardes, who documented many plants used by Indigenous peoples. Today, Bee Balm remains a favorite in native plant gardens thanks to its showy blooms, wildlife benefits and ability to thrive in well drained soils with full sun to partial shade.
In the wild, look for Bee Balm in prairies, glades, open woodlands and along sunny roadsides nearly statewide. Its fragrant foliage and lively blooms make it easy to spot and even easier to appreciate!
📸Photos by ANHC staff.
