Lemon mint candy , also bang as lemon beebalm , lemon tree Monarda punctata , violet Mentha longifolia , or lemon bergamot , is a plant that is often confused with bee balm ( Monarda didyma ) . While they belong to the same botanic family ( Lamiaceae ) and share some similarities , they are not the same plant .
Lemon mint ( Monarda citriodora ) is a hardy annual or sometimes biennial plant that is aboriginal to the southerly United States , from South Carolina and Florida west to Missouri , Texas , and Mexico . It typically grows to a meridian of 12 - 30 inch and is commonly determine in rocky or sandy prairies , pastureland , and roadsides .
Bee balm ( Monarda didyma ) , on the other hand , is a repeated plant that is native to easterly North America . It is sleep together for its vibrant flushed flower and aromatic leaf . Bee balm can grow up to 4 feet tall and is often cultivate in gardens for its ornamental value and ability to pull pollinator .
Although lemon flock and bee balm go to the same genus , they have discrete differences in visual aspect , growth habits , and America . Here are some fundamental differentiate features :
1 . coming into court : Lemon mint has slender , gig - shaped leaves that are light immature and let loose a warm lemon scent when crushed . The heyday are pale lavender to pink in color and fix up in dense , terminal clump . In contrast , bee balm has broader , ovate leaves that are dark unripened and have a minty smell . The flower of bee balm are tube-shaped and unremarkably red , but can also be pinkish , white , or purple .
2 . Growth riding habit : Lemon mint is an yearly or biyearly plant , which means it nail its aliveness cycle within one or two age . It tends to form upright , branch stems and can ego - seminal fluid readily . Bee balm , on the other hand , is a perennial plant that make out back year after year . It forms clump of just stems and can open slowly through underground rootstalk .
3 . Uses : Lemon mint is primarily grown for its citrusy fragrance and can be used in teas , potpourri , and as a culinary herbaceous plant . It is often used as a natural insect repellent and attracts butterflies and bees . Bee balm , on the other manus , is respect for its showy heyday and is commonly used in flush arrangement and as a garden mete plant . It is also known for its medicative properties and is used in herbal remedies for digestive issues and respiratory ailments .
While Citrus limon mint and bee balm divvy up some similarity , they are distinct plants with unlike development habits , appearances , and use . Lemon mint candy is a hardy annual or biennial plant with svelte , lemon - odorous leaves and pale lavender flowers , while bee balm is a recurrent plant with broad , flock - scented folio and vibrant red blossom . see these differences can avail gardeners choose the right plant for their specific motivation and predilection .
Caroline Bates
