Any thoughts on what this is?

A friend sent me this pix of a flower blooming back in his timber. I would love to have him dig some for me for my woodland garden. Neither of us have a clue as to what it is. Do any of you? Thanks!

Susie

It looks like a species of Monarda/Bee Balm to me. I would like to have it in my woodland garden also.
You are more likely to get the correct answer if you post this in the Plant and Tree Identification forum. That's where all the plant gurus hang out. :-)

Thanks so much! I'll post it there as well. It's so pretty! If I can get it to transplant, I'll have to send you some next year! :)

Thanks. I would love that.

It's very transplantable. You should put it either in a place where it is somewhat contained, or where you don't mind it spreading. I transplanted 3 puny little plants three years ago, and they're now covering an area about 10X10.

WOW! It is pretty, though! :)

Yes that is a a wild Monarda. I too have some growing I found in the woods behind my house. The bees and buttterflies just love it!

Doug

Wild Bergamot is a Monarda with lavender blooms.

dead head if you do not want clumps of it every where.

mine are about 4 feet tall, give or take. i just love them, but after 5 yrs with them, i dead head like mad once the blooms are spent.

Coloration is like Wild Bergamot, Monarda fistulosa, but the leaves suggest Bradbury's Monarda, Monarda bradburiana. Photo is of my M. bradburiana. Notice the leaf texture, margin and attachment to the stem. Compare with your photo and with photos of M. fistulosa: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1097/


Edited to add: Both are N. American native species and easy to grow. M. bradburiana only grows 24 - 30 inches tall.

This message was edited Jul 8, 2011 7:50 PM

greenthumb -- thank you for correcting me.
from the image, it looked like Bergmot.

tcs1366 - easy to confuse as the plants are very similar. It helps when one grows them both and can compare specimens. Also, Wild Bergamot is much more widely seen and known and therefore the "default" ID. Glad I could be of help.

Thanks (belatedly) for all of your help! I found it at a native plant sale and we'll see how it does this year! ;)

I think it's one of those "readily hybridizes" plants, too?