Is Wild Bergamot deer resistant?
Monarda fistulosa
Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
Not listed by Rutgers NJAES. Rated deer-resistant by El Paso County CSU Extension, whose list is a single category, mapped conservatively to Seldom Severely Damaged.
About Wild Bergamot
Crush a leaf and the plant explains itself: sharp, minty, faintly medicinal. That is why deer tend to work around it, and the same reason every bee in the garden ends up on the ragged lavender pompoms in July. Mildew is the failure, and crowding brings it on more often than damp does. Stems packed shoulder to shoulder with no air moving through them go grey by August, while the same plant in an open position stays clean. Thin the stems in spring instead of letting fifty come up where twenty would do, and lift and split the clump once it thickens. Of the bee balms this is the species that carries some resistance of its own, and 'Claire Grace' is the selection to look for if you have had trouble before. The name has nothing to do with the bergamot in Earl Grey, which is a citrus.
Similar to Wild Bergamot
Other perennials with the same deer rating.
- African LilyAgapanthus sp.Zones 8–11, genus rangeSeldom damaged
- AsparagusAsparagus officinalisZones 2–9Seldom damaged
- AsterAster sp.Zones 3–8, genus rangeSeldom damaged
- AstilbeAstilbe x arendsiiZones 3–8Seldom damaged
- Baby's BreathGypsophila sp.Zones 3–9, genus rangeSeldom damaged
- BastardsageEriogonum wrightiiZones 5–10Seldom damaged
Where Wild Bergamot grows
Hardy across most of these 51 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering.
- Pennsylvanianative
- New Jerseynative
- New Yorknative
- Connecticutnative
- Massachusettsnative
- Virginianative
- Marylandnative
- Michigannative
- Wisconsinnative
- Ohionative
- Indiananative
- Illinoisnative
- Minnesotanative
- Missourinative
- North Carolinanative
- Tennesseenative
- Georgianative
- Texasnative
- Coloradonative
- California
- Oregonnative
- Washingtonnative
- New Hampshirenative
- Vermontnative
- Mainenative
- Rhode Islandnative
- Delawarenative
- West Virginianative
- Kentuckynative
- South Carolinanative
- Florida
- Alabamanative
- Mississippinative
- Louisiananative
- Arkansasnative
- Oklahomanative
- Kansasnative
- Nebraskanative
- Iowanative
- North Dakotanative
- South Dakotanative
- Montananative
- Wyomingnative
- Idahonative
- Utahnative
- Nevadanative
- Arizonanative
- New Mexiconative
- Alaska
- District of Columbianative
- Hawaii
Highlighted states are within its native range according to the USDA PLANTS database, where it is native to 47 US states in total.
Browse from here
Every list Wild Bergamot belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about Wild Bergamot
- Is Wild Bergamot deer resistant?
- Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) is rated Seldom Severely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
- What hardiness zones does Wild Bergamot grow in?
- Wild Bergamot is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does Wild Bergamot grow in shade?
- Yes. Wild Bergamot tolerates part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
- How big does Wild Bergamot get?
- Mature height is roughly 60–60 in. Growth rate is moderate.