Lemon Beebalm

Monarda citriodora

''Monarda citriodora'' is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae, that is native to much of the United States and Mexico. When crushed, the leaves emit an odor reminiscent of lemons. This odor is sometimes described as more resembling oregano, especially late in the season. Its purple flowers are highly attractive to butterflies, bees and hummingbirds.
Lemon Beebalm (Monarda citriodora) Cultivated/Native. Growing at a disturbed mixed forest edge. I bought some seeds for this native species last year, and the flowers decided to make their appearance very late in the year! Fall,Geotagged,Lemon Beebalm,Monarda citriodora,United States

Appearance

Lemon beebalm can tolerate dry soil, and requires little water and direct sun light. Several stems grow from the base and are lined with pairs of lance-shaped leaves.

It grows quickly during spring, reaching up to 3 feet high, and blooms its white, purple and pink colored flowers from May through July, continuing to bloom even later in the year if given water.

The plant dies with the first frost, and although lemon beebalm is an annual, its seeds can germinate and grow the following year.
Lemon Beebalm (Monarda citriodora) In a garden near a forest edge. Fall,Geotagged,Lemon Beebalm,Monarda citriodora,United States

Naming

Varieties:

- ''Monarda citriodora'' var. ''austromontana'' B.L.Turner - Arizona, New Mexico, Chihuahua, Sonora, and elsewhere in Mexico
- ''Monarda citriodora'' var. ''citriodora'' - Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Utah, Texas, Tamaulipas
- ''Monarda citriodora'' var. ''parva'' Scora - southern Texas
Lemon Beebalm (Monarda citriodora) Cultivated in a garden at the edge of a dense mixed forest. Geotagged,Monarda citriodora,Summer,United States

Habitat

This widespread plant grows in prairies, roadsides and other sunny habitats from Arizona to Florida, and from Nebraska to Michoacán. It prefers soils with a high percentage of clay, such as the vertisols and mollisols typical of tallgrass prairies, where it sometimes forms impressive blankets of summer flowers.

References:

Some text fragments are auto parsed from Wikipedia.

Taxonomy
KingdomPlantae
DivisionAngiosperms
ClassEudicots
OrderLamiales
FamilyLamiaceae
GenusMonarda
SpeciesM. citriodora
Photographed in
United States of America