Common names:
Pony beebalm, wild oregano
Family:
Scientific name:
Monarda pectinata
Main flower color:
Range:
Far south California, the Four Corners states and parts of the Great Plains
Height:
Up to 3 feet
Habitat:
Canyons, washes, sandy locations, rocky slopes
Leaves:
Lanceolate to oblong, up to 1.5 inches long, (usually) with toothed edges
Season:
May to August
The flower color of monarda pectinata ranges from pure white to pale pink. The inflorescence is a series of spherical clusters, at the tip of the stem and the upper few leaf nodes; each consists of several dozen tubular flowers, up to one inch in length, with a curved upper lip and a three-lobed lower lip, both pointing downwards. The lower lip has a few purple spots. Leaves are quite numerous, have short stalks and an opposite arrangement, and are mostly hairless, though sometimes with short bristly hairs along the veins. The plant is particularly attractive to bees, birds and butterflies.
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