Wildflowers of the Blue Ridge Parkway - Oswego Tea

Native to North America, the Oswego Tea (Monarda Didyma) is an aromatic herb. It can be seen in the all over the United States from Maine, to Ohio and as south as Georgia.

The Oswego Tea can be found in the wet, higher locations along the Blue Ridge Parkway and blooms from July until late August.

This plant can be seen in dense clusters along stream banks, thickets and ditches. It grows best in full sun and thrives in moist, well-drained soil. The Oswego Tea is named after its odor which can be compared to that of the bergamot orange. Other names for the Oswego Tea are Bergamot, Scarlet Beebalm, Scarlet Monarda and Crimson Beebalm. The flowers of the Oswego Tea plant can grow up to 1.5 meters in height with 4 cm long ragged, bright red tubular flowers.

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The Oswego Tea is grown as an ornamental plant because of its vivid color and sweet aroma.

This plant is used to flavor Earl Grey tea and the dried flowers are often used in potpourri.

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• Wikipedia - Monarda didyma
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monardadidyma
• Plants for a Future Database
  http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Monarda+didyma
• Wildflowers of the Blue Ridge Parkway
• Blue Ridge Parkway Wildflowers in Color

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