Monarda punctata L.

Eastern Horsemint; Spotted Beebalm; Dotted Horsemint

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Eastern Horsemint is a native herbaceous perennial in the Mint family (Lamiaceae). It can be found throughout the southern two-thirds of Alabama. Eastern Horsemint occurs in dry or mesic pine forest, dry hardwood forests, in prairies, on glades, on roadsides, and along fence rows. It Is a perennial from a tap root with slender rhizomes or stolons. Stems are square, pubescent, and green or purple in color. The stems are freely branched and about 3 feet tall. Leaves are opposite, petiolate, lanceolate or elliptic in outline, with serrate margins. The leaves often have short branches or whorls of leaves in their axils. Both the leaves and stems are anise scented when damaged. Flowers are produced in several verticils near the apex of the main stems. The flowers are subtended by several leaf-like bracts that are pink, lavender, or white in color (in whole or part). Individual flowers are 2-lipped, yellow in color, and spotted with reddish purple. The fruit is a mericarp. Eastern Horsemint flowers attract a wide range of insects. It is commonly available from wildflower nurseries or can be grown from seed. It prefers a sandy soil in full sun. An herbal tea can be made from the dried leaves.--A. Diamond

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Native FAC (NWPL)

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