The Lemony Neighbor — Horsemint Blooms in the Texas Spring

A field of Horsemint (Monarda citriodora) in full bloom, their stacked purple-and-white whorls rising above the foliage, with Firewheels (Gaillardia pulchella) dotting the background against a soft, green-bokeh landscape. — *A Field of Fragrant Tiers*

I really like springtime in Texas. Besides excellent weather, the display of wildflowers is a continuous show. In mid-May, we are finding lots of fields covered with Firewheels (Gaillardia pulchella). Although the vibrant hues of reds and yellows create a beautiful display, as seen in my post last week, I often find myself searching for another wildflower that begins to pop up at this time of the year: Horsemint (Monarda citriodora).

A single Horsemint (Monarda citriodora) stem in sharp focus against a warm, blurred background of orange and yellow Firewheels, its stacked green bracts and delicate purple-and-white flowers clearly visible. — *A Solitary Stand*

Horsemint is also known by several other names, including Lemon Beebalm, Purple Horsemint, and Purple Lemon Mint. Its distinctive citrus or lemony scent is revealed if you crush its leaves. Bees and butterflies are especially attracted to this flower. It is interesting to note that, if you find this flower very similar to Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa), both plants are in the Lamiaceae (Mint Family).

A lone Horsemint (Monarda citriodora) stem rising above a painterly sea of softly blurred Firewheels (Gaillardia pulchella) in red and yellow, in a Pflugerville wildflower field in mid-May. — *Standing Out*

These photos were captured at a field in Pflugerville in mid-May (except for the header image, which was captured at Walnut Creek Park a couple of years ago). The soft background you see in these images was mostly made up of Firewheels (Gaillardia pulchella) and Stiff Greenthread (Thelesperma filifolium).

A close-up vertical portrait of a Horsemint (Monarda citriodora) spike showing multiple flowering whorls — purple bracts with white tubular florets — backlit against a warm orange and green background in a Texas wildflower field. — *Stacked in Tiers*

That is the story behind the shots. If you liked this post, you may also be interested in others featuring FlowerHour, Horsemint, Texas, and Wildflowers. Until the next time, keep clicking and capturing the beauty your eyes find.

Posted for Terri’s Flower Hour # 32: Going to the Dog-Woods.

Sources:

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center — Monarda citriodora — https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=MOCI
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center — Gaillardia pulchella — https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=GAPU
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center — Thelesperma filifolium — https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=THFI
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center — Monarda fistulosa — https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=MOFI
Flora of North America — Monarda citriodora — http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=242101549