Plant
Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
Photo: Sixflashphoto, CC BY-SA 4.0
Common Names
Wild Bergamot / Bee Balm
Habitat
Prairies, woodland edges, and river bluffs
First Observed
1804-07-20
Observed At
Missouri River corridor, near present-day Omaha, Nebraska
Lewis and Clark documented wild bergamot along the Missouri River corridor during the early stages of the expedition in 1804. This aromatic member of the mint family was already known to eastern botanists but was widely documented by Lewis in its western range. Native peoples used wild bergamot extensively for medicinal purposes, particularly for treating respiratory ailments and fevers.
Journal Excerpt
Lewis, July 20, 1804: "observed great quantities of an aromatic plant with purple flowers resembling the bergamot of our gardens, growing wild upon the prairies."
