White Meadowsweet vs Wild Bergamot - TreeTime.ca

White Meadowsweet vs Wild Bergamot

Monarda fistulosa

Spiraea alba

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Wild Bergamot
White Meadowsweet

Wild Bergamot is a native perennial wildflower that is known for its fragrant lilac-purple tubular flowers. The flowers grow in dense terminal heads and bloom from mid-summer to early fall. Deadheading spent flowers will encourage new blooms, prolonging its display. They attract pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. It also serves as a host plant for the Raspberry Pyrausta (Pyrausta signatalis) butterfly.

Wild Bergamot belongs to the mint family, and its leaves, stems, and flowers are all edible. The leaves can be used to make tea or as a flavorful herb, with a taste often described as a blend of oregano and thyme.

It is resistant to deer and rabbits but can be susceptible to powdery mildew if planted too densely with poor air circulation. Wild Bergamot tolerates heat, drought, and poor soils, making it a low-maintenance addition to a variety of projects. It is well suited for pollinator gardens, wildflower gardens and naturalization projects.

As a perennial, it dies back to the crown each winter, it will regrow from the base in the spring. Avoid disturbing the crown during late winter to ensure healthy growth the following season.

White Meadowsweet is a woody, deciduous shrub that begins to bloom in early summer with small white and pink flowers. Its foliage turns from a light green into an attractive golden-yellow later in the fall.

The White Meadowsweet, also known as Mead-Wort or Bride-Wort, is favored by birds and butterflies but is largely ignored by deer. They produce small brown berries in the summer, and while they are technically edible, they are not sweet and are more desired by wildlife.

Wild Bergamot Quick Facts

White Meadowsweet Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 3a
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Spread: 0.8 m (2.5 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: normal, wet
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no
Fall colour: golden yellow
Flowers: lavendar purple; tubular
Flowers: white, small
Growth rate: very fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Suckering: none
Suckering: high




Other Names: bee balm, eastern bergamot, oswego-tea, purple beebalm, wild horsemint
Other Names: mead wort, meadowsweet, narrowleaf meadowsweet, pale bridewort, pipestem