Are Bergamot and Bee Balm the Same Thing?

One of the loveliest of the flowering herbs, Bee Balm (also known as Bergamot), is a great attractor for hummingbirds and bees. Known also as beebread plant, Oswego tea, horsemint, and simply monarda, its leaves have a strong fragrance reminiscent of the bergamot orange.

Does bee balm taste like bergamot?

M. fistulosa is wild bee balm. Its flowers are lavender-pink and it's sometimes called wild bergamot. Both plants are members of the mint family and have a strong herbal flavor that closely resembles that of oregano.

Is bee balm in Earl Grey tea?

Bee Balm, also known as Bergamot, Latin name Monarda, includes over a dozen varieties. Monarda fistulosa is the wild local variety. I've been assured - erroneously it turns out - that this is the plant used in Earl Grey tea that gives it a special flavor.