Lemon Bergamot (Monarda citriodora)
Lemon bergamot is an aromatic plant that grows to a height of 40 to 60 cm and gives off a lemony fragrance. Its flowers are purplish in color and highly prized by bees. The leaves and flowers are harvested to make herbal teas or to flavor salads, raw vegetables, fish, and white meats. Lemon bergamot has digestive, appetite-stimulating, carminative, anti-nausea, and antiseptic properties.
This plant is generally grown as an annual. It grows quickly, blooms the same year, and completes its life cycle after flowering. However, in very mild climates (areas without significant frost), it may sometimes behave like a biennial or self-seed from year to year.
To successfully sow lemon bergamot, it is recommended to sow from April to June in seed trays or pots, using fine seed-starting soil kept moist, or directly outdoors in well-prepared soil.
In the garden, lemon bergamot prefers a sunny, airy location and adapts well to various types of fresh, well-drained soils, even calcareous ones. It is advisable to leave a spacing of 50 to 60 cm between plants.
Lemon bergamot blooms from June to September.
| Flower color: Violet |
| Quantity: Envelope of about 150 seeds |
| Exposure: Half shade |
| Soil: Undemanding |
| Watering: Low water requirement |
| Sowing: Directly in the garden |
| Plant spacing: 30 cm |
| Depth: On the surface |
| Width: 30 cm to 45 cm |
| Height: 45 cm to 90 cm |
| Flowering : June to august |
| Rusticity: Zone 4 |
| Family: Lamiaceae |