Monarda clinopodia

White bergamot’s exuberant flowerhead has a fun appearance that enlivens the shade garden in midsummer. And the bumble bees sure seem happy to see it! The deep, tubular flowers prevent short tongued pollinators from accessing nectar, leaving extra nectar for the bumble bees, which are long-tongued.

Primarily a forest species, white bergamot grows in the dappled sunlight of woodland interiors and edges. In the garden, white bergamot can be planted in soils of average moisture under partial shade or full sun. Like its relatives, wild bergamot and scarlet beebalm, white bergamot spreads via rhizomes to form a colony of plants. Unlike its relatives, however, white bergamot has good resistance to powdery mildew. This makes white bergamot an especially attractive option for planting in areas of lower light availability, where moisture on leaf surfaces creates a favorable environment for mildew. To complement white bergamot’s ivory blooms, plant with purple coneflower, scarlet beebalm, and early goldenrod.

Photos by Julie Slater.