June 6, 2026
Spotted Horsemint (Monarda punctata) a member of the mint, Lamiaceae, family, which explains its sqaure stem and wonderfully fragrant leaves. They are native to a good part of the eastern, southern, and midwestern US, including Texas and New Mexico. Their native range extends into eastern Canada and northeastern Mexico.
They’re just beginning to bloom alongside trails in the mountains of central Virginia now, in early June, and will continue blooming for many weeks. The flowers attract a good number of pollinators such as native bees, honeybees, butterflies, wasps and hummingbirds.
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