Bergamot Praerienacht

The name means ‘Prairie Night’, a reference to its sumptuous, moody flower-colour. Monarda Praerienacht is a vigorous, clump-forming, herbaceous perennial with an upright habit and elliptical, aromatic, mid-green leaves. From late June to August, the moody purple, shaggy flowers appear in whorls up the stems, almost continually if the plant is dead-headed. Each flower has tubular, almost hooked petals surrounding a central boss and growing from brownish-red bracts. The flowers are very attractive to bees, butterflies and moths. To prevent mildew, grow in reliably moist but not waterlogged soil, and mulch generously in early spring.  Bergamot Praerienacht is very good in a prairie planting, or grown in drifts with grasses in a border. Keep the plant well watered in summer, leave the dead stems on the plant for winter structure, and divide congested clumps every three years.