Wild Bergamot is a perennial grown for its purple blooms, which open in late spring and return year after year. It's hardy across USDA zones 4 through 10. Its late spring flowers are a real draw for honeybees, native bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
Zones
4-10
pH Range
6.5-8.5
Sun
Part Sun
Days to Maturity
120
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Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether wild bergamot actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score wild bergamot against your land's real conditions.
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What Wild Bergamot is
Wild Bergamot grows as a perennial and reaches around 3.5 feet at maturity. It blooms purple in late spring.
How to grow Wild Bergamot
Wild Bergamot grows in USDA zones 4 through 10. Wild Bergamot does best in part sun — at least 4 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 6.5 to 8.5. It needs around 1,000 growing degree days to mature and a growing season of at least 110 frost-free days, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
4-10
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
6.5 - 8.5
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Part Sun
plant_species_v5.csv
Drainage
Data pending
plant_species_v5.csv
Frost Tolerance
-38°F
plant_species_v5.csv
Days to Maturity
120 days
Wild bergamot; cold strat 30d.
PrairieMoon; USDA-NRCS
GDD Required
1000+
plant_species_v5.csv
Mature Height
3.5 ft
plant_species_v5.csv
Frost-Free Days
110+
plant_species_v5.csv
Start the season right
Plant wild bergamot in part sun with at least 4 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed.
Match the soil
Wild Bergamot prefers pH 6.5 to 8.5 (USDA PLANTS Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. Match watering to the plant's drainage preference and your local rainfall.
Harvest at its peak
Cut wild bergamot blooms in the cool of the morning, just as they open, for the longest display.
Good to know
Good news for pet owners — wild bergamot isn't known to be toxic to dogs or cats. (Source: ASPCA.)
Wild Bergamot is a standout pollinator plant — high value to bees and other pollinators. (Source: Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership.)
Where Wild Bergamot thrives
Wild Bergamot is hardy across USDA zones 4 through 10. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
Zones 4–10·Where Wild Bergamot growsOpen map →
On USDA hardiness-zone overlap, Wild Bergamot can grow in these states:
See if Wild Bergamot will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether wild bergamot actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow Wild Bergamot in my zone?
Wild Bergamot grows in USDA hardiness zones 4 through 10 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Wild Bergamot?
Most growers plant wild bergamot after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed, leaving enough of the season for its 110-day frost-free need. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Wild Bergamot need?
Wild Bergamot does well in partial sun — around 4 hours of direct sun, and it takes some afternoon shade in stride. That flexibility makes it a good match for a bed the house or a nearby tree shades for part of the day. A Growable Ground report maps how the sun actually falls on your land, hour by hour, so you can set it where the light lines up.
What soil does Wild Bergamot need?
Wild Bergamot prefers soil pH 6.5 to 8.5 (USDA PLANTS Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Wild Bergamot attract pollinators?
Yes — wild bergamot's flowers are a strong nectar and pollen source for honeybees, native bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds (Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership).
Is Wild Bergamot safe for pets?
Wild Bergamot is not known to be toxic to dogs or cats based on available data (ASPCA). Always supervise pets around new plantings.