Japanese name: タイマツバナ（松明花） Scientific name:Monarda didyma
[Overview]
A perennial 50–150 cm tall.
The stem is square in cross section.
The leaves are opposite, ovate, toothed and hairy.
The flowers bloom from June to August and are densely borne in verticillasters 4–6 cm across at the stem tips, with reddish leaf-like bracts.
The corolla is 3 cm long and divided into two lips, upper and lower, and is scarlet like the calyx.
There are 2 stamens, which protrude long.
The Japanese name compares the way the flowers are borne to a torch (taimatsu).
[Uses]
The flowers and leaves have a sweet scent similar to the citrus bergamot orange, and the plant is also called bergamot or red bergamot.
The dried leaves and flowers are used as herbal tea and also in potpourri.
It is also used as a nectar source plant.
Medicinally, it is said to be effective for reducing fever and aiding digestion.
Hybrid cultivars are also generally called "bergamot" and are widely grown for ornament.
Flower colors vary widely, including red, purple, pink and white.
[Cultivation]
Propagate by division or from seed.
It prefers a sunny site and slightly moist soil.
It is highly cold-hardy.
