Wild Weeds – Weed of the Month

Spotted Beebalm

Monarda punctata

Spotted Beebalm is an aromatic wildflower that can be found in meadows, coastal dunes, roadsides, and dry disturbed areas. Blooms generally appear in late spring through the fall, feeding a wide variety of pollinators such as bees, wasps, and butterflies. In most of Florida it will die back to the ground during winter.

Flowers are inconspicuous, hairy, and whitish-yellow with purplish spots. One unique feature that often confuses passer-bys are it’s leaf life bracts that vary in color from pink to lavender and often have yellowish green undersides, they appear to be flower petals but they are not. Seeds are born in nutlets at the base of each flower. Historically this plant played a unique role in treating ringworm infections as it is high in thymol which can be antimicrobial, antifungal, and antiseptic.

Learn more about the plant characteristics here: https://www.flawildflowers.org/flower-friday-monarda-punctata/

Check out other Wild Weeds Here: http://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/bakerco/tag/wild-weeds/ 

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