62 Nebraskaland • August-Spetember 2026
Mixed Bag
Few Nebraska native plants can match beebalms for
fragrance. Crush the leaves or flowers of these mints
and you release a burst of aroma from compounds called
monoterpenes. Those same compounds give beebalms their
distinct flavor when brewed as tea or used as a culinary
herb or garnish.
Nebraska's Native Beebalms
The annual Plains beebalm (Monarda pectinata) grows
in open, sandy habitats across the western two-thirds of
Nebraska, especially in the Sandhills. Our other native
beebalm, the perennial Monarda fistulosa, is called
simply beebalm or wild bergamot and occurs statewide in
grasslands, woodland edges and roadsides.
A Nebraska botanist described the fragrance of these
beebalms as "strong, pleasant but somewhat medicinal,"
adding that wild bergamot sometimes smelled of roses
and lemons. Their scent comes from monoterpene-rich oils
stored in tiny, hair-like glands on the leaves and flowers.
Rub the leaves or flowers and the glands rupture, releasing
volatile oils and pleasant scents. Besides mints, other plant
families also produce monoterpenes. In citrus fruits, for
example, squeezing the rind releases oils rich in limonene
creating a bright, citrusy odor.
Three monoterpenes — geraniol, carvacrol and thymol —
are most common in Nebraska beebalms. Their abundance
varies by region, possibly as an adaptation to local
climate, herbivores or pollinators. This variation produces
differences in smell and taste. Plants rich in geraniol, for
example, smell sweet and lemony, while those high in
carvacrol or thymol have a sharper, oregano-like scent.
With practice, these differences can be detected by smell
alone. The Pawnee, for instance, named two strains of wild
bergamot based on aroma: one, "tsusahtu," meaning "ill-
smelling"; and another, "parakaha," meaning "fragrant."
Monoterpenes serve several roles in plants. Their strong
aroma and taste can deter insect and mammal herbivores.
Eucalyptol, linalool and thymol are antimicrobial and
antifungal, helping protect plants after injury or attack.
Released into the air, monoterpenes can also act as signals,
attracting beneficial pollinators and predatory insects that
feed on plant pests. In Nebraska, bumble bees, smaller
Beebalms'
Minty Monoterpenes
By Gerry Steinauer, Botanist
Plains beebalm flowers emit a sweet, minty fragrance that is
most pronounced on warm, sunny days.
Wild bergamot flowers bloom in July and August. Crushed
flowers remain fragrant even when dry in winter.
